THE FUTURE IS IN THE CARDS
by D-Rosell
Summary: Martha Jones was living the good life. Normality suited her, it didn't bother her and, actually, she couldn't see herself going back to a life of adventure and danger. That is, until the Doctor returns. However, not her Doctor. Not the skinny one with spiky hair, brown shoes and big brown eyes. No, this is one different...and with him comes danger.
1. Chapter 1

Hi! So, I've already started this fanfic, but I stopped because I was stuck. However, I managed to get (re)inspired, had some ideas and I'm ready to bring it back. For those who had never read it, here it is.

Thank u. Remember, reviews are love.

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**THE DOCTOR & THE RED QUEEN**

"Get him!" A woman's voice ordered. Her loyal servants vanished in a blink of an eye. They know this woman knows no mercy and that they are nothing but little chess pieces.

She sits on an iron throne carved to look like an eagle. She likes eagles, even though on her planet they didn't exist. She saw them once in this documentary about Earth and grew fond of them ever since. They are majestic, giants of the skies and killers.

She places her hands on the arms of the chair, carved like eagle claws, and waited patiently. She knows how to break him now. She will break him right now and dance on his little pieces. Next to her is a blue police box with its doors locked. She couldn't find the key, so the prisoner must have it in his possession.

Yes, it's a smart move, but it isn't the last.

The new crown on her head is heavy, but she wears it like it's made of feathers and leaves. Her hair is long, so blonde it almost looks white and her big gray eyes lock on the room's door. Her lips are painted red, the same color as her long puffy dress. She waits with the patience of a saint.

When the doors open she allows herself to show the softest of smiles. Approaching her, being dragged by two guards, is the last of the Time Lords. The very last one of them. She always thought them to be tall and strong, but this one is just… very, very skinny.

The last of his kind, has been trapped for weeks now without water or food. He doesn't talk ever since he was captured, nor does he move. Unbreakable.

Ah, but the new Queen has a new move to test. The game is not over.

"Get him a chair."

A chair is placed under her steps and there the Time Lord is set. He keeps his eyes on the floor, head bowed. Dirty brown hair, all knotted and an awful looking beard. The shirt he wears, once pink, is now brown. Around his neck he wears what is left of a bowtie. His pants have holes in it and his feet are blackened.

"Hungry?"

There's no answer. Of course he wouldn't answer. She snapped her long fingers and a small table was placed next to him, on it a plate of fruit. The Time Lord looks to the left and sees the silver plate that contains plumps, grapes, peaches, apples and bananas. He takes the latter and bites it quietly.

The Queen smiles.

"I see you are hungry."

Her voice is like honey. Soft. Quiet. Sweet. It echoes naturally in the room and she didn't even raise it.

"Will you talk now?"

Not a word again. The banana has disappeared by now, it remains placed on the plate. Not a word. The Time Lord's hands are carefully placed on his lap, his head still bowed and still.

"I can make this very hard…" The Queen said again very softly. "Or very easy."

Not a word in reply. Anyone in this situation would snap and resort to violence. The Queen is surrounded by strong guards, any of them could destroy that Time Lord with a punch, but she needs him in one piece and so she remains calm.

"Time Lord, I only want a location." Again she says quietly and again he says nothing. "Where is the Princess?"

Silence.

She needed to know where the Princess was. Any trace of that old life has to be erased. Long live the new Queen.

"The Princess is lost out in the wilderness and I am worried." She claims. "I only want what's best-"

"Your words won't work on me." He says in a husky voice. The entire room holds its breath and the flames that light the room twitch like a window was opened.

"They won't?"

"No." The Time Lord keeps his head down and his hands on his lap. "I know who you are. I know what you did. I know your power."

"Do you?"

"Yes." The Time Lord raises his head and faces the Queen straight on. "Your words won't work on me."

The Queen faces him with defiance and shows him another smile.

"Time Lord, I only want the best for my new realm and that includes bringing to my presence the Princess, so she can be-"

"Executed." The Time Lord interrupts the Queen with a cold voice.

"Taken care of. I love her, I would never hurt her." The Queen reinforces a worried look on her eyes. "I truly want the best for her." The ancient men say nothing. There they stand, the Queen of the planet called Angiolnyght, the strongest planet in the Galaxy facing a Time Lord, just one and to top that, the last. "Where is she?"

Again silence. The Time Lord bows his head and goes back to being silent and still.

"Very well." The Queen looks at one of the maids and says quietly. "Bring me my cards, dear."

That sentence makes the Time Lord look up with an inquisitive look.

"What are you doing?"

"Now Time Lord, you should watch the way you address me. After all, I am the Queen."

"You don't deserve the title."

"I'm wearing the crown, therefore I deserve it."

She says this in a very soft way, but with a slight tone of threat.

"What are you doing, Your Majesty?"

"Better." The Queen said. " A lot better." The maid comes in with a deck of cards. A plain, simple deck of black cards. "Thank you, dear. Now Time Lord, you are my prisoner because you helped the Princess Buma escape-"

"I led her to safety."

"Interrupt me again and I will have you tortured. Don't think I won't, look around." This time the Queen's voice is cold, sharp. The Time Lord looks around and understands the message. He is surrounded. "You are my prisoner and I have to know you. Who you are, what you do, your weaknesses and your strengths all of that."

The Queen starts shuffling her black cards. "

Last of the Time Lords, with a TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension In Space), loves to travel back and forth in time and all around the galaxy. You have archenemies, so many it's impossible to count, but who matter happen to be our allies and most trusted partner: The Daleks."

The Queen's cards shifted between her long fingers like magic.

"What else did you find?" The Queen raises an eyebrow. "Your Majesty?"

"You travel in your TARDIS, but you don't do it alone. You hate to be alone." ― The Time Lords body stiffens and the Queens's smile grows brighter. "Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Amy Pond and Rory Williams - who are married now – their lovely daughter and apparently your wife, River Song and the ever so charming and immortal Captain Jack Harkness. Did I get it right?" ~

"What do you want, Your Majesty?"

His voice is cold, ready to fight. He is a warrior. She picks seven cards, leaving the others.

"Tell me where the Princess is." The Queen demands and he still says nothing. The Queen rises from her throne, looking strong and powerful. The black cards are in her right hand, covered with the left. "Where is the Princess, Time Lord?"

No answer.

She comes down the steps. Her shoes, covered by the long dress, echo on the stone floor. Her dress is so long it lingers at the top of the stairs, even though she is almost halfway through them. She stops right in front of the Time Lord, but only a few steps away. "Time Lord-"

"There is no point in asking again. I won't answer."

"I know." The Queen steps forward and leans so close the Time Lord can smell her soft perfume.

The Queen shows him the seven picked black cards; they have names written in them, his friends' names written in blood red. "Pick one."

"Why?"

"I'm the Queen. I'm ordering you too. Pick one."

The Time Lord looked at the cards. Rose. Martha. Donna. Amy. Rory. River. And Jack.

"Why?"

"Do you want me to choose for you?"

"I got the right to one question."

"You've got no rights. You are a traitor."

"I won't choose. I'll die before doing it."

"No, no you won't. You'll die when I say so. Choose."

The Time Lord looks at the cards. He stretches his hand, realizing its trembling just a bit. He can't choose! He would never! Rose was in a parallel world, to get to her the Queen would have to burn stars and galaxies. Amy and Rory were hidden and not even the Doctor knew where exactly. River well… River was in jail and even if she wasn't there at the moment (after all, that woman loves to escape her prison bars) who knows where she could be?

He looks at the Queen, whose gray eyes seemed, at first, ever so kind, but now there was this murderous glow. This strange and scary glow that makes the man with the blue box realize that this has to be his move. He has to choose. Even though he doesn't want to.

"If you know me then you know that I won't choose. I won't put my friends in danger."

"Then answer me." The Queen stands patiently and the Time Lord says nothing. "I thought so. Are you willing to kill your friends just for a Princess that you barely know?"

" I'm keeping her safe."

"No, you're being a murderer." The Queen turns to her left and looks at the guard standing there. "Get over here." A big man with black hair, green eyes and big noise approaches. Around him is a machine gun that he has been holding pretty close to himself. He is a soldier and he is ready to shoot at any moment. "Here is the thing about Time Lords, you are all so loyal and honorable. It is annoying."

The Queen gives the cards to the guard, orders him to shuffle them a few times then to place face down. The Queen hand hovers over the seven black cards, with her fingertips very softly touching the texture.

Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy, Rory, River, Jack…

Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy, Rory, River, Jack…

The Time Lord's two hearts beat like jungle drums. He could jump and push that awful Queen, but before he could even touch her, he would be covered with bullets. On the other hand, the Princess would be safe and so would his friends. No, he couldn't, he promised the Princess he would return to her.

"Why are you doing this? Stop it! The Princess is out of your way, you don't need her."

The Queen turns around, fast, with eyes as cold as snow. She comes close, like a snake that's ready to attack at any second.

"As long as she lives, she will always be in my way" The Queen's voice is no more than a whisper. It is pure evil in a soft voice. "I will not rest until I have her heart in my hand. I want her dead and she will die. You either can help me find her or let your friends be part of the body count. Your choice, Doctor. "

"I don't know where the Princess is."

"You said that you know who I am and what I can do. So you know then I can see straight through lies, Time Lord." The Queen's index finger touches his forehead. " It's only a matter of time. When I'm done with your friends, I'll go after their friends, children, parents, husbands, wives… I will kill a planet if I have too." She shrugs. " Did it before, I can do it again".

She stands again, proud and tall.

"You're bluffing."

"It sounds like that, doesn't it?" She says, raising one finger…

"WAIT!" He screams. The Queen's face is all smiles. The Time Lord didn't want to choose, but it was better if he was the one to make the choice instead of the Queen and her twisted mind.

"Wait…" The Time Lord looks at the guard, and he shows him the cards face down. The Doctors reach out again, his left hand trembling so much it looks like it's going to take off and run away on its own. And yet, instead of taking a card, he drops his hand again.

"I'll give you a name."

"You'll give me a name?"

"Yes."

"What name is that?"

The moment he sees the name float in front of his eyes a cold shiver runs up his spine. A very human shiver.

"Jones. Martha Jones."

The Queen looks at the Doctor.

"Why her?"

"You wanted a name, I've given you one. That is it." The Queen approaches the Time Lord.

"Well, you're you a faster killer than I thought."

The Time Lord makes a move to tackle the Queen, but she stops him mid motion. No, the Queen did not touch the Time Lord and neither could he, no matter how much he wanted to. There he was, fighting against this invisible wall of power that did not allow him to touch a string of her hair.

"Sit down!" And so he did. He was under her command. The Time Lord feels like he had just pushed a mountain. "No one can touch me, Doctor."

"You will not get to her." Says the Time Lord. "I won't let you!"

"How do you plan to stop me? You can't even touch me, Doctor."

"I will."

"You gave me her name. She means nothing to you."

"You're wrong." The Doctor says.

And then it all happens tremendously fast, not even the Queen sees clearly what happens. With a fast movement the Time Lord gets up and knocks down the guard next to the Queen. He faces her, dead on, only a few inches away from her nose. Around him, he feels, more than sees, the guards pointing their guns at him.

"DON'T SHOOT!" The Queen orders. "I want him alive."

"You would like that, wouldn't you?"

"You won't kill yourself."

"True." The Doctor says. "But I will run."

Then he runs up the stairs, towards the throne.

"GET HIM!"

The Doctor stops right at the throne, snaps his fingers, the TARDIS doors opening like magic and he does not enter. Instead, he yells.

"WAIT!" The men coming up the stairs stop right away. The Doctor looks at the Queen smiling. "You don't know what you just did, do you?"

The Queen shows him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?"

"You just gave me the key to your success and you didn't even notice." The Doctor smiled. "I just beat you at your own game"

The Doctor runs to the TARDIS.

"BRING HIM TO ME, NOW!"

The Queen orders, but it is too late. The Doctor was already in the TARDIS, the doors closed behind him and he was running to the lever that would fly him away from that room.

He could hear the steps of the guards outside his door. The Doctor pressed a few buttons, typed in the coordinates and pushed the lever up. The TARDIS shook violently and they were on their way.

"It's good to see you, sexy." The Doctor says while running around, pushing numbers and pressing buttons. He was safe. "Let's go visit Martha Jones."


	2. Chapter 2

Hi, guys. Thank you for all the favs. It means a lot to me. On to the second one.

Remember, reviews are love.

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**II**

**DEAR ME, MARTHA JONES. DEAR ME.**

Martha Jones has had a busy, busy day. She is still at the hospital, when the clock confirms that it is almost eleven. Her shift is over, thank God! Martha walks the halls entering and walking out of her patient's room, checking tablets, asking questions. This is a sort of ritual that Martha does every day; she likes to make sure that her patients know that she is right there whenever they need her. She walks into the room of her favorite and most annoying patient.

"Well hello, Doctor Jones." He says with a big smile.

He is Jonathan Hunter and despite the fact that he had open heart surgery just three days ago, he acts like nothing is wrong. Jonathan has always had heart problems since he was a child. A few days ago, while playing football - something that he shouldn't be doing in the first place - his heart gave out, making him drop in the middle of the pitch. It was on the news and everything.

Jonathan was on the list for a new heart and, when the incident happened, he became top priority. The young football player was rushed to the hospital, with his heart giving out two times on the way. As soon as he was stable he was sent to the surgery room. Martha was on call, so she performed the surgery. While under, Martha almost lost him, but then she and the rest of the team were able to stable Jonathan.

Now he was alright, recovering very well. Always with a big smile, cracking jokes and, of course, flirting with Martha Jones.

"Jonathan."

Martha approaches the bed and picks up his tablet.

"You're doing very well."

"Of course!" He shows the biggest, brightest smile. Jonathan has brown hair and big green eyes and very pink and sensual lips. On top of that, the funny boy has dimples on both sides of his cheeks. Jonathan is also a little bit younger than Martha, just three or four years younger, making everything a little bit uncomfortable. "I'm awesome."

"I can see that." Martha places the tablet back and keeps her hands in the pockets of her white coat. "How are you feeling?"

"Good. Very good actually." Jonathan shows her that big smile again.

Martha comes close to him.

"Can you sit?" Jonathan sits up with help, so that the Dr. can listen to his brand new heart with a stethoscope. "Take a deep breath." Jonathan inhales and exhales like Martha orders. "Good." Martha places the stethoscope on his back. "One more time." Jonathan repeats the drill. "Very good."

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything is just fine." Martha says with a smile. "If you keep up like this, you'll get out of here pretty soon."

"Pretty soon we'll be able to go out for a drink, then."

"A drink?" Martha asks with a smile. She shouldn't be flirting with a patient. She shouldn't be flirting at all. It is too soon. It is way too soon. "You can't drink. Not anytime soon."

"How about lunch?" Martha laughs. The door opens and the chief male nurse Williams walks in.

Martha stops smiling and turns very professional, but Jonathan keeps smiling. "I'm waiting, Martha."

The nurse was just checking the serum at first, but then looks from Martha to Jonathan, proceeding to hitting him on the shoulder.

"Ouch! What… What was that for?" Jonathan asks, looking at the nurse.

"You shouldn't call her that, she's a Doctor. "

"Well, that's her name!"

"You know each other?" Martha asks, confused. None of them answer and Doctor Jones looks at nurse Williams with folded arms. "Rory?"

"We're mates." Says Jonathan. "Well, I'm a friend of a friend of a friend. We used to play football together on Sundays."

"I was there when it happened. It was my day off."

Rory shows a crooked smile and so does Jonathan.

"Rory sucks at football."

" Oi! I do not!"

"You so do. I believe it was that missed pass that cause my heart to fail. I just couldn't take it anymore." Jonathan smiles again. It's good that he's smiling so much. "So, what's my answer?"  
Martha shakes her head and walks towards the door.

"Get well and I will let you buy me lunch, dinner and breakfast."

"Really?" Martha bit her lip. That was too far and it was way too soon. The Dr. turned away to her patient. "Wait. Are you serious?"

Martha looks at Rory.

"Rory, can I see you outside, please?"

Martha steps outside. Even behind the close door, she could hear Rory and Jonathan whispering away. Five seconds later, Rory comes out. Martha was very fond of Rory, he was a very sweet man and a true gentleman. There is something about the way he is such a dork that makes him adorable.

Nonetheless, when it came to work, Rory Williams was the best nurse in Saint Mary's.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Jones." He apologizes. "I guess the heart messed up with his head. I'll tell him to behave and stop messing around. I am so sorry. "

"It's okay. I want to ask you to keep a close eye on him and if anything changes to beep me. "

"Yes. I will. I'm sorry again."

"Not a problem."

* * *

Martha turns to the locker rooms, feeling tired. She opens her locker, takes off her coat and sighs heavily. On the clock she sees it's already eleven thirty and she can't wait to get home.

While working Martha has the energy to give and sell, no one can stop her. She fed on the adrenaline, the rush, that weird ER vibe that was so typical of that place. Once she's out of there, she feels tired, exhausted really.

On the way to her car Martha feels like the world is on her shoulders. It was a choice she had made, to leave UNIT along with its aliens, politics and other complicated things to simply become Dr. Martha Smith-Jones.

Although she is no longer connected to UNIT, she still knows people in high places in politics and in the military; after all she had been one of them.

Martha rarely thought about the Doctor now. It has been a very long time since he haunted her dreams and she was thankful for that. The first days, weeks and months after she left him were no walk in the park. Martha thought about the Doctor constantly, listening very carefully to every single newscast, reading thoroughly every newspaper and checking websites for any documented appearance of the Doctor.

After a long goose chase, she came to terms and understood that the Doctor was far away now, probably with a new companion. After all, Martha was the one who left him, so there was no need in wanting him back.

She got engaged to Tom Milligan and he broke it off. Yeah, Martha Jones almost got married to a runaway Doctor. She still laughs every time she thinks about it.

Months later she met Mickey Jones, married him and they lived happily until everything went to hell and got lost in the fire. She still cries every night whenever she thinks about it.

Of course she didn't wish the Doctor any harm. At a certain point she had missed his jibber jabber, weird mannerisms and the way he said "Brilliant", but he was gone now.

Martha grew accustomed to normal people, people that did not say "brilliant" and did normal things. And yet, every night before she falls asleep, she allows herself a question: If he came back today, would I go? The moment that question pops up, she turns to the side and falls asleep.

It has been five years and a few months since Harry Saxon and the Toclafane. The Doctor said that no one would remember, that it wouldn't be more than just a dream to the rest of the population, but a dream can be turned into an idea and a very lucrative one.

The amount of books about "the year that never was" are unbelievable! The monsters and characters are different from writer to writer, but, overall, they're all the same. The best seller was the saga called "The Year That Never Was". These books were written by a young novelist and they flew off the shelves, becoming number 1 all over the world and being translated into French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German and even Chinese.

Martha bought the books for fun. They were all over the place, it was impossible not to get bitten by curiosity. So she bought the saga, sat down and read it all.

While reading it was like she had turned back in time. The young author kept names, dates and characteristics, she didn't change anything. There were even the TARDIS and Captain Jack's vortex manipulator bracelet! To the common reader it was just a book, with really good characters and pretty good storyline, but to Martha it was like someone had written in detail the whole episode.

The saga was divided into four books: "_New World Order_" was the first one. It introduced the main characters, such as Harry Saxon and his rise to the power as a young politician, Martha Jones as a medical student, Captain Jack Harkness as the investigator and the Doctor as a time traveler.

"_The Enemy_", the second one, described the beginning of the fight. Harry Saxton introduces the allies called Toclafane, he's the villain in the saga and now Martha, the Doctor and Captain Jack have to stop him.

The third one, "_Earth's Savior_", is the most famous of the four and a favorite of the fans and it was the one that bugged Martha the most. It was way too accurate! This one focused mainly on the travelling that Martha made around the world. It was like someone had documented the journey and then had written a book about it. Some details were so close to reality, that it literally sent shivers up and down Martha's spine while she was reading it.

The last one named the whole saga, "_The Year That Never Was_", and it took three years to get to the shelves. No one knows why exactly, but the truth is fans waited for days, even weeks to get the first edition of the book. It was madness!

However, the young author hadn't had enough and so she - yes, it was a woman - wrote "_The Martha Jones, Chronicle_" and, just like the other ones, it vanished.

Martha started reading the last one, but she couldn't finish. How was it possible for an author, who Martha had no idea who it could be, to know her so well? Everything was there, her feelings toward the Doctor, the fear for her family's safety, what she said to people wherever she went…  
Evidently Martha Jones tried to track her down, but everywhere she went she ended up hitting a dead end. Always the same fake name. Autumn Brown. Even the name sounded made up!

After this book, Martha's life went crazy. Every time she met a patient or went out a public place where she had to use her name, people always asked

"Like the one from the book?" Martha always answered

"Just like it.", then they would go "Are you the one…?" and Martha smiled very kindly and replied

"No, I am not."

* * *

Martha gets home, turns off the car and allows herself a few minutes in silence. The lights are on inside the house and even though she isn't close to a window, she can almost hear her mother's voice.

Martha loves her mother, she really does, but ever since "The Year That Never Was" - the real one, not the book - she had gotten even worse. Martha couldn't breathe, take a step, make a move or say anything without her mother being right there beside her, with her questions and her opinions.

Tish was there too, and thank God she was! Tish was the one bridge between Martha and their mother; if Tish wasn't there, Martha could easily say the worst things.

Martha gets out of the car, locking it and walking to her front door. She is about to put the key in the lock, when the door opens and there she is:

"Martha!" Her mother is right there. A personification of herself in the years to come. "You almost missed me."

_Too bad I didn't. _

They hug each other on the door step and Martha comes into the house feeling its warmth. She loves her house. When they found it, Martha thought it was a little bit too much for a recently married couple.

Nevertheless, her husband convinced her with talks of future plans, children and grandchildren, "a family house" he said. They bought the house and one day, after coming home from the groceries, she saw it: The sunlight hit the house making it look like it was painted orange, the windows were shining with the afternoon glow and then he came out the door with a big smile on his face. It was perfect. It was their home and she would never, ever leave.

Martha closes the door behind her. Her mum wears white pants with a green blouse and blazer.

"You are leaving already, mum?"

"I have too." She says with a smile. Tish pops up from the kitchen with her curly hair tight up. "I have an important meeting tomorrow."

"You don't work, mum."

"So? " The mother asks offended. "Can't I have meetings?"

Martha looks at Tish, and she makes a gesture meaning "let it go" and so Martha does.

"Yes, you can, mum. You can do whatever you want. "

"Well, I have got to dash." After kissing Martha on the cheek, she opens the door and walks to her car. "Come along, Tish."

Tish is still getting her things. Her black coat and red purse - she loves that purse, but Martha hates it. Tish comes to her sister with a smile on her face.

"How was your day?"

"It was fine. How was everything here?"

"Fine too. He's asleep now." Tish put on her coat. "He looks like him every day."

"Let's just hope he has my brains. " Martha hugs Tish and a few seconds later, Martha is alone in silence. Even the house seems to collapse on her.

Martha takes off her shoes and goes up the stairs barefoot. The second door on the right is painted blue and she pushes it softly. The room is dark, with just a soft red night light in the corner.

Martha approaches the bed, sitting there and looking at him. The little boy moves in the bed and opens his big brown eyes.

"Mum? "

"Did I wake you?"

"Yes."  
"So sorry, love."

Martha kisses him on his forehead.

"I was dreaming about dad. " He says. Martha smiles and touches one of his curls gently." He was talking to me."

"What did he say?"

"To take care of you."

Martha smiles and kisses him again. The little boy places his arms around her neck and hugs her tightly.

"Go back to sleep, okay? "

" Okay."

Martha leaves him to sleep and dream. Closing the door behind her, she walks to her room, first door to the right. She takes off her suit pants and her white blouse, dressing in her blue shorts and tank top. The moment she put her head on the pillow, that question floats back. If he came back today, would I go?

Martha sighs, turns to the side looking at a picture of her husband, smiling. Seconds later she falls asleep heavily.


	3. Chapter 3

Here it is! Enjoy it!

Reviews are loooove! :D

PS: My Martha is really aggressive, I know. I like it.

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**III**

**THE ELEVENTH AND MARTHA JONES**

Martha wakes up suddenly, her heart pounding against her chest and sweat dripping down her back. She dreamt of fire again. It was recurring dream, she was used to it, but since the beginning of this week the dream had become more vivid.

She had woken up with pain in her belly and, sometimes, her skin was so hot it was like she was close to spontaneously combust. This time was no different than any other dream: She is in this dark, cold place, almost like a cave. She doesn't remember how she got there or even if she was alone. The only thing she knows, is that in front of her there's a glowing star. Yes, she's positive it is a glowing star. Martha also knows that stars burn hot and yet, she reaches out and touches it - that's when the fire comes. She sees her hand caught fire, the flames licking her arm, her elbow, all the way up to her shoulder. Martha falls back trying to stop the flames from spreading through her body and she bumps into something. She turns around - forgetting she was on fire - and sees... Herself. However, not her normal brown hair, dark eyes, dark skin self, but another self. She has abnormally big green eyes who stare at her, red lips with open dark mouth full of maggots. Immediately she would scream her heart out and wake up.

Sweat had formed on her forehead and Martha felt herself shiver. It was such a vivid dream she was actually scared for her safety. Sitting on her bed, looking at the darkness of the bedroom, she tries to steady her breath and calm herself. Feeling hot, she throws the covers to the side and sees the thin layer of sweat covering her legs and arms.

The only thing Martha wishes, at times, was to be able to sleep without dreaming. Most of the nights she would have this nightmare, wake up, take a deep breath then turn to the side and fall sound asleep. Only on rare occasions, she would go through the night without waking up or without nightmares.

She falls back into her cushions and lets out a heavy sigh. Her alarm clock showed 04:30am and thank God, tomorrow was her day off. She could cook pancakes for James with chocolate milk, then go with him to the groceries o she could stack up the kitchen. She reminded herself, that James needed a new pair of shoes, his sneaker shoes were getting old. Then, they could head off to Mum's house, have lunch with her and Tish, and then they would go out into the park for a little while. Perhaps, later on, maybe catch the latest animated movie?

While her mind twirled with possibilities for a day out with her beloved son, Martha hears a door slam shut. Just like an arrow, she seats and looks at her semi opened door. There she sits looking at the door, expecting something to appear in front of her eyes. Just when she thought it could be just her imagination... She hears it again. This time, it was a scratching sound. It came from downstairs.

Martha, slowly crawls out of bed and approached the door. She stands right behind it, with her ear ready to hear the slightest of sounds. There it is again! This time it isn't a scratchy sound, it's a thump and a loud one at that. Martha reaches and grabs the baseball bat behind her door; slowly she opens it and walks out of the room.

Martha walks out of her room; bat in hand, ready for confrontation. One thing that UNIT had taught her was to be ready at all times. The enemy could come from any corner, at any second. Her sense needed to be prepared and fast.

When she opens her door, she hears it again. This time, it was like someone was walking back in forth downstairs. And also whispering. Tiptoeing, Martha walks into James's room to find him sitting in his bed with his night light on. Sometimes it scares Martha how intuitive he is.

"I heard a noise." He said, in a whisper.

"I know." Martha whispered in reply, "I'll check what it is. Stay here."

"What if someone hurts you?"

"No one will hurt me, love. Don't come out unless I come get you, okay?"

She closes the door very quietly and keeps going down the hall, until she reaches the top of the stairs. Leaning against the wall, she waits. The house is completely dark, except for the holes that shine the light from the outside. There is no movement from downstairs, but again, she hears a noise, a new thump. It's like somebody is tripping and falling time after time.

Martha walks down the stairs, step by step, always against the wall for coverage, protected by the darkness. When she gets downstairs, she holds the bat slightly above her head, just like her husband taught her one day.

She hears a new thump and a moan. Whoever is in the room is close to the door. Martha leans against the wall and ducks. Her plan is to hit the intruder with a low blow making him/her to bend over and then she will go to the back and hit him/her - or even it - until it lays flat on the floor. Martha is accustomed to the darkness of her house and knows it very well. Knows every corner and how the furniture is displayed, so she has that in her favor. A new thump closer to the door and Martha gets ready. She takes deep breaths and stiffens her arms.

The first thing she sees is as a leg. Just like that, she hits the knee. The intruder - from his cry she realizes it's a man - quickly grabs the throbbing knee. Martha hits him again in the stomach, and he bends over groaning with pain. One more time, she hits him on the back and he falls to the floor. Martha hits him one, two, three times until he no longer moves. But he is alive, since she can hear him breathe heavily.

Martha turns on the lights to see the intruder. He is barefoot and wears dirty clothes; his pink shirt stained with brown spots of sweat and dirt. His trousers are ripped at the bottom and burned. His brown hair is also dirty, knotted and long. A homeless man robbing houses?

The man groans again and Martha prepares herself, raising the bat one more time, ready to swing him into the middle of next week, if necessary.

"Martha."

Martha stops in shock. She feels herself grow cold and immediately starts to think the worst.

"How do you know my name?"

The man is now sitting on the floor. He looks up, staring straight at Martha and shows her a soft smile. That smile, even though Martha had never seen it before, seems familiar - the panic she felt at first, is now gone. He has big eyes, a jaw line that looks like it was chiseled marble, very soft lips and a beard that covered half his face.

Ugly that beard was.

"Martha Jones".

"How do you know my name?" Martha asked, in a faint whisper.

"It's been a while." The man answered with a warm smile. He looks so kind, sweet and warm, despite that ugly beard covering half his face. A "feel good feeling" comes over her chest. "But, I would never forget your face."

Martha points the bat at him, but the man's smile never faints. He just keeps looking at her.

"Who are you?"

Suddenly, the warmth in his eyes disappears and makes way to hurt.

"Don't you recognize me?"

"I've never seen you in my life!" Martha argues.

"But you have!"

"No. I haven't!" Martha says, gripping the bat harder. "Now tell me who you are or I'll call the police!"

The man stands up quickly, making Martha take a step back. He is taller than her and very skinny, probably hasn't eaten in days. He takes one step forth and Martha takes one back. He opens his arms and smiles gently. His smile can light up a room, warm and reassuring.

"It's me. The Doctor."

Martha's jaw drops to the ground. She's like a statue, frozen in her place. Time stopped and her heart beat stopped with it.

No.

It couldn't be.

It's not him. It can't be!

The Doctor is millions of miles away in the galaxy! There is no way - no way! - He is right there in front of her very eyes! There hasn't been a sign of him for years now. Nothing! At some point, Martha even thought he could be dead. There was no way, _no bloody way, _this man in front of her was the Doctor she once knew.

So, if the Doctor is somewhere in time, this man could only be a fan. A fan of that bloody saga!

She regains her composure and puts her game face on. This is crossing the line!

"You're not him."

"I am." He smiles again. "I know I look a bit different now. I am the Eleventh. I'm still the same though, still remember everything-"

Martha is taken over by a rush of rage and out of nowhere, she swings the bat. The fake Doctor dodges it, taking a giant step back. The two stare at one another without moving.

"Wow! _What _are you doing?!"

"You're not the Doctor."

"Martha, trust me! It's me!"

She swings again, this time grazing him.

"Who are you?"

"Martha… "Again she tries to hit him. " I promise you! Wait." Martha swings again. "WAIT! HOLD ON!" Martha stops while the _fake_ Doctor's mind thinks of an explanation. "The Master, the Toclafane, Harry Saxon, the drums… The year that never was! You walked the Earth. You saved me!"  
Martha swings again, this time hitting him on his left arm. The Doctor screams and backs away.

"What?! What are you doing?!"

"Everyone knows that."

"How?"

"There's a whole book saga about it!"

"Really?!" Martha charges once more, but the Doctor flees to the dark living room. "But- That's impossible. No one would remember how could there be a book?"

"Beats me." Martha said, turning on the lights on, finding the Doctor near the sofa. She is ready to hit him again, getting on top of the sofa. The Doctor is cornered against the dinner table. "Martha, Martha… Remember when I was John Smith? The Time Lord watches? The one that rewrote my biology, turning me human? The boys, the academy? I was a teacher! You were…"

"A maid!"

" YES! You were a-" Martha swings again. The Doctor ducks and she hit the enormous vase on the table. "Okay! Okay! The weeping angels?! "Don't blink", remember? Sally Sparrow!"

Martha almost hits him on the arm.

"The Martha Jones, Chronicle!" It's all there!" She tries to hit the Doctor one more time, but fails again. The Doctor runs away, jumping over the coffee table. "You're a bloody fan!"

"No. I'm not. I'm not!"

"This is crossing the line! I've put up with a lot of stuff, but coming into my house. THAT'S IT!" Martha swings the bat one more time, but fails to hit the Doctor.

"WAIT!" The Doctor screams, reaching the curtains. Martha notices now the strange form that was hiding behind her white curtains. "Could I have faked this?"

The Doctor pulls the curtains aside showing the one and only crazy, beautiful and fantastic police box, with its own shade of blue. The TARDIS stood right there in front of her, that magnificent piece of alien machinery that obedient no one else, except the Doctor. Martha drops the bat and comes closer, passing by the Doctor and touching the TARDIS door very gently.  
It was it. She knew it and the machine knew her too. It was this feeling of familiarity that gave Martha goose bumps and made her eyes water. Like an old friend one sees after a very long time.

"It's you." She says in a whisper. Her eyes find the Doctor's and, finally, recognizes him in those new blue eyes that were once brown. "It's really you."

"Not a fan." He says in a whisper.

"What happened?"

"I died." He said. "The old me, at least. This is new." He says looking at his own messy self. "Not in this condition, of course. I'm normally a lot cleaner, shaved and my bowtie is done correctly."

The memories came floating by, memories she had hidden away in her mind. Their first journey together when she met Shakespeare. The trip that got them onto a ship that was falling rapidly into the sun. When she met the face of Boe. The Daleks in New York! The memories sent a shiver down her spine. Immediately Martha takes her hand away, like she'd been shocked. She takes a step back, then another, then another until she's standing side by side with the Doctor, but still facing the TARDIS.

The hand that touched the TARDIS reached out and touched his chest feeling his left heart. Then, with the other hand, touched his right heart. Both beating strongly at the same time.

"It's really you."

"It is really me."

Martha allowed herself to smile, allowing the wave of happiness to wash over her. But then, just like it came, it went. The smile that was that for some seconds, vanished.

"I can't." She answers to her own question, without hesitation.

"I came to take you away."

Martha looks at him. He looked so young, but his eyes were old and wise. With him came new adventures, new things, new worlds! Deep down, she missed that old life. She longed for an adventured, she had grown accustomed to normality but that didn't mean she didn't miss those old days.

"I can't."

"Just come. I'll explain later."

The TARDIS is right in front of her, something she thought would never happen again. Everything comes to her mind: the panic, the fear, The Master and his evil plan. Her family tortured, humiliated, people dying around her while she jumped from country to country with just words to share.

"I'm not going." Martha declares. No, she wouldn't go. Not again, not ever. That was the answer. She steps away from the Doctor, from the TARDIS, from everything.

"Martha." The Doctor takes her arm gently. His touch feels the same, although it's a different hand. Is that the hand that he had lost in battle or is it the other one? "I'm serious. You need to come with me now."

"No!" Martha lets go of his warm hand. "I won't go. I'm fine without you. I've been fine all these years-"

"Martha, you don't understand!" The Doctor interrupts. "You have to come with me!"

"Why?!"

"Because if you don't, you will die"

Martha's heart drops, as she looks at this new Doctor in shock. The Doctor spoke with fire in his voice. He's mad. Mad? No, that tone in his voice didn't sound like madness. Anger? No, he isn't angry. Martha just said "no" and yet he is still pushing. The Doctor is not mad or angry… but desperate. The Doctor is desperate. If he is desperate like this, it's because he _did_ something.

"What did you do?"

The look in his eyes says everything. He did something.

"Mummy?"

Martha looks away and so does the Doctor. Behind them stands a little man, with curly black hair and big hazel/green eyes. He is wearing blue striped pajamas, holding on to his pillow. Weirdly enough, the little boy isn't scared or shaking, instead he looks curious, taking special interest in The Doctor.

"You're a mother?" The new Doctor is surprised. He doesn't take his eyes of the child. He resembles someone. "He looks just like…"

"His father, I know." Says Martha, trying to steady her nerves. She kneels before James and kisses him on his forehead. "James, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I heard voices. I had to see if you were okay. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine".

Martha assures with a smile. James eyes look at the Doctor.

"Who's the raggedy man?"

The Doctor smiles proudly.

"He's the second person that calls me that."

"A friend, love. Old friend." Said Martha gently. "Go to bed."

"What did he mean? He said you were going to die, mummy." James's big curious eyes jump from the Doctor to his mother. Martha touches his curly hair gently and smiles.

"It was a joke."

"Far from it." The Doctor says coldly.

Martha censures him with a look, and then turns back her attention to her son.

"James, be a good boy and go to bed. It's late."

James gives Martha a very tight hug, takes one last look at the Doctor and then runs upstairs.

Martha says nothing until she hears her son's bedroom door close. When she turns back to the Doctor, he stops her before she can even talk.

"I can't tell you."

"Then I won't go."

"I will drag you, Martha Jones."

"This is not like the time you showed up outside the restaurant with the TARDIS and a smile and I went off with you. This is not the first time." Martha said. "You have no right to come here and kidnap me. I have a son."

"I know. I saw him. "The Doctor said. "He is a beautiful boy, although I must say your genes did not come out on top."

"This is not about genetics." Martha says. "It's about you dropping in, in the middle of the night and wanting me to go with you."

The Doctor looks at her carefully. This isn't the old Martha Jones, this one is different. When the Doctor last saw Martha she was smiley, warm and hugged him so tight he could feel her love pouring out of her. Now she's cold, distant. Something had happened to her in the meantime. Something was lost. Something? No, someone.

"What did you do, Doctor?"


	4. Chapter 4

Here it is. Let's see how it goes.

* * *

**IV - REMEMBER THAT QUESTION?**

The Doctor and Martha Jones spend a few seconds just staring at each other, assessing the fact that so much has changed these past years. Martha is older – not that much older, just more mature – she has a son now, little James, that is his father spitting image. She is not in UNIT anymore and has no relation to it whatsoever, right now she's only a Dr. The Doctor has a new face, new legs, new hands, new everything, but he is still the same. Or so does he seem.

While Dr. Jones is having an inner struggle trying to understand what this "new" Doctor wants, he is thinking about a plan to get Martha in the TARDIS and away from her living room. The Doctor does a very fast equation, realizing he has no more than an hour to get Martha away from her house.

One hour exactly. A minute more and the Queen would transport in that living room and find them.

"Do want something to eat?" Martha asks, crossing her arms over her chest. She's wearing only shorts and a tank top, both blue. The Doctor accepts, even though he's not hungry and time is flying by. "Okay. I'll be right back."

Martha goes into the kitchen. The Doctor can hear her moving around, opening cabinets and the fridge door, making something for him to eat. Meanwhile, he paces back and forth, thinking of a way to get Martha out of here. Knowing her as well as he did, she would want her family to be safe first. Yes, he has to think of a plan to keep Martha's family safe. His mind works like a thousand fireworks exploding at the same time and eventually he figures it out. Fine, he already has a solution for Martha's family to be safe, now… the only thing he has to do is to bring her with him.

He stops pacing and for a moment looks around. He didn't notice before, but this room is decorated orange - well orange and white to be more precise. He didn't even know that Martha liked orange.

He sees some shelves packed with pictures in pretty frames. Curious as he is, the Doctor approaches the first picture. He recognizes Martha, with her brother Leo and her sister Tish laughing together at a dinner table. The next one in a wooden frame is of her mother, decorating a birthday cake with extreme concentration. The following showed her father leaning back against his brand new car with a proud look on his face. The rest of them were all Martha having fun and being a young university student.

A white book catches the Doctor's eye on the third shelf. There is a thin fresh layer of dust on the shelf, but there is none around the book. That means that it is often removed. The Doctor picks up the book, walking to the couch and sitting down. He feels guilty sitting down on that beautiful white couch, looking like he had been crossing the desert, but he's so tired.

The Doctor opens the book and lets out a small gasp. It was Martha Jones, dressed in a beautiful wedding gown and a veil that fell down her shoulders. She had a beautiful smile on her face, she was glowing. She looked beautiful. The Doctor turned the page and laughed. Although the first picture was very "lady like", in the second one Martha and her friends were making funny faces and weird poses. It was a funny picture indeed. The third one lets a warm feeling spread across the Doctor's hearts. It was Martha Jones and her fiancée.

"You found it."

Martha's voiced startled the Doctor. She came back carrying a tray with a sandwich and a cup of orange juice. She wore a white cotton robe a little bit too big for her. It probably wasn't hers.

"You married Mickey?"

Martha placed the tray on the coffee table.

"We were together last time I saw you, remember?"

"Yes." The Doctor kept looking at the photo album. The last time he saw Martha Jones was when he regenerated from 10th to 11th. Seemed a lifetime ago. And it was. "You married Mickey, the Idiot."

Martha shows a soft smile.

"Don't say that, he's not here to defend himself."

"True." The Doctor looks at Mickey's picture. All suited up, with a white bowtie. He looked cool with a bowtie. "Where is he? Where is this sweet idiot?"

"He's dead." Says Martha. The Doctor looks at her in shock. Now it all made sense. Martha wasn't angry when he showed up, she was mourning. That weird glimpse in her eyes was sadness, pure sadness. "It will be two years in September."

Her voice was steady, calm, but her eyes betray her.

"How?"

Martha takes the photo album from the Doctor's hands and places it on top of the table softly.

"He joined UNIT." Martha shows a small smile and looks at the Doctor, examining him closely. She still feels weird next to him. "I'm not accustomed to this new you."

"I'm so sorry, Martha." He seems honest and sincere. He has new eyes, but they show the same feelings as before. "I had no idea."

She sighs heavily, ending the subject. She doesn't want to talk about it, and most certainly she is not going to talk about it with the Doctor.

"What happened? Where have you been…?"

"Martha…"

"Enough talking about me, please." She begs. The Doctor takes a few minutes to prepare himself. He and Mickey were never close like any of the other companions, but he still feels guilty knowing he has died. Mickey, the Idiot. "Why are you here?"

The Doctor stands up and walks around the room. He has new long legs, slightly bowed. It's funny. He paces for long seconds, then stops and looks at Martha like he had forgotten all about her.

"Oh, right! Why am I here… Yes… Well, I was flying away through time and space, like I always do, when I got a call. First I thought it was from River…"

"River?"

"My wife."

"What? You got married?"

The Doctor makes funny gestures with his hand, like he was scaring away flies.

_This is new_, Martha thought.

"You're missing the point here. So, the call came from a distant planet called Angiolnyght. Funny name, funny people! I've been there before, long time ago, barely remembered it and didn't even think someone would remember my existence! So, I went there, parked the TARDIS and when I came out… It was a mess! I parked in the middle of a civil war."

"Really? Were you under attack?"

"What? Oh no! It's a civil war, but the people in Angiolnyght are very civil, you can feel the tension, but nobody actually dies on the streets."

"It's not a war then…"

"It's a war to them! Whatever, Martha, you're missing the point, again! I walked out the TARDIS and there's a girl standing right there. As if she was waiting for me. Which makes sense, having in mind that I got her call. Turns out, she was the Princess."

"Princess?" Asks Martha. "You're friends with royalty?"

The Doctor touches what's left of his bowtie.

"Why are you surprised?" Martha smiles. The Doctor claps hands, he is on a roll, Martha is smiling and he might just be able to convince her in less than an hour. "Well, the Princess Buma asked me for help. Apparently 3 days before, the King, Queen and the Royal Council were found dead."

"How?"

"They were killed in their sleep. The Princess wasn't in the castle, she was lucky."

"How did they die?"

"Let's see if you can guess what and who killed them." The Doctor sat down close to Martha with eyes glowing and excitement all over his face. "When they were found dead, their lips were blue. Three days later their tongue was black and their eyes were white."

"Some kind of poison?"

"Good! You've got the "what" partially covered. But it wasn't "some kind", it was homemade. But we'll get there in a second." The Doctor says. He shows Martha his brand new smile and she smiles as well. He gets up again. "Now, who could have done it? The adopted daughter was the only one in the castle and was the one who found them. The poison in their system was made by the adopted daughter's First Chemist and some of the poison was found in her clothes."

"Wait…" Martha said. "Adopted daughter?"

"Yes." The Doctor said. "The Queen found a little girl who was lost, fell in love with her and adopted her."

Martha chuckled.

"Where's the mystery? The adopted girl obviously did it. She found them, she was the only one in the castle, the poison was in her clothes - I don't have to watch CSI to figure this one out."

"See, that's where you're wrong." The Doctor looks right at her, so intensely that for a moment Martha loses herself. He sits down on the coffee table. " According to the people in the castle, she _didn't_."

Martha shows a confused look.

"You said there was no one in the castle, but the child-"

"Oh no, no... That's right. _I said_, but ask anyone in the castle, in the city... On the planet, they will all give you the same answer. "She didn't do it..."" He said in a low voice facing Martha. He could see it in her eyes; she was curious, she had the same twinkle in her eyes she had the first time they met. "She obviously did it, everyone knows it. However, no one believes she did it."

"No one?"

"Not a soul." The Doctor said. "The truth is right there, it's obvious to everyone one, but... Not a single person in that planet believes that child was capable of murder. And this is where our mystery begins."

"No one believes she did it." Martha repeated it. "Not a single person." The Doctor shook his head. "How is that possible?"

"Even though she was the one who found their corpses and the poison in their system was made by her Chemist. No one believes it and, if you say it's true you'll be mysteriously gone... Well, not _mysteriously_, she will have you killed, everyone knows that..."

"But, no one believes it either."

"Correct. To them, she's like... The perfect daughter the Queen and King never had."

"What about the Princess? You know, the one born from the marriage."

"Oh. She was once adored, but since the New Child, she became a shadow, basically. Everyone adores the New Child."

"Okay." Martha says. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Yes! Well, the murder of the King, Queen and Council members seem obvious to us, but not to the Angiolnithians." The Doctor leans over Martha like he was telling her a secret. "It's like this New Child has them on this spell. The people can't see what she truly did. No one even dares to point her the finger. It's like… It's… They just can't see it…"

"It's like she has some kind of perception filter. Like the TARDIS. "

The Doctor looks at Martha and shows a big smile.

"Close, but not exactly." It was strange to hear this new voice complementing her, but it was still her Doctor. "No one suspects her. The truth is right there, it's so obvious it can blind you, but they don't see it."

"How big is Angyiolnight?"

"Pretty big. You see, you had the King Ruler of the Planet - the one who sadly passed away now - They live in the planet's capital, Salina. The other countries are ruled by Ministers. The New Child, is now the New Queen Ruler of the Planet, becoming the first female world leader and the youngest at doing so. The Ministers are now the Lords of their countries - which is a lower category in the Angiolnythian hierarchy - giving them less power. She is the sole ruler. But she can't ever have true control if she doesn't take the Princess of her way."

"The Princess is the rightful heir."

"Yes. The Princess should be the Queen, not the adoptive daughter. How she managed to climb her way up the later and be a Queen is beyond me and, even though people mind seem blind to her crime, they know she's not the rightful heir." The Doctor said. "As long as she is alive, the New Queen will never have total power, people will remember that she is not the one true Queen."

"But the New Queen doesn't have to worry, after all the people already believe her."

"No, no, not entirely!" The Doctor stands up and starts walking back and forth. "When I got there the Princess was with a small group of people, The Resistance. They are the only ones who don't believe in the new Queen. Somehow they can resist to her words. I'm also immune to it."

"Am I immune?"

The Doctor stops walking.

"You're _human_, Martha." Meaning: Martha was vulnerable to the Queens words. Humans are always vulnerable. He starts pacing again. "So, the Resistance believes that that the new Queen killed the King, the old Queen and the Council. They see the obvious like we do! And obviously, for the new Queen…"

"The Princess can't be alive. She can't never have true power and control while a member of blood of the old royal family still lives. The Princess knows that the new Queen killed her parents and the Council. She can't tell anyone, because no one would believe her."

"Ah! Yes!" The Doctor sits down on the coffee table again and Martha's heart pounds against her chest. She was back again. "I got to the Princess. She explained everything to me, obviously the New Queen is the villain in this story, but the Princess can't tell anyone the truth, because they are in some sort of…"

"Hypnosis!"

The Doctor smiles again. He took a glimpse at the clock; he had just lost fifteen minutes.

"Turns out, the Princess needed to run, so I gave her a vortex manipulator."

"Just like Jack's?"

"A lot better that Jack's, but the same kind. I pressed random coordinates and she transported like expected. What I didn't expect was to get caught." The Doctor's eyes wander off. "The Queen kept me captive for days, weeks. Terrible food, terrible conditions… she wanted me to tell her where the Princess was."

" You never did."

"I wouldn't be the Doctor if I did" He smiles proudly." I had powerful information; she wouldn't kill me and risk losing it, so she kept me on the edge of her knife. Until she made her last move and it brought me here." Martha tenses up. This is a critical point. The Doctor talks about being called to the throne room, being surrounded by guards and talks about the cards. At this point Martha feels a sudden rush of cold air and crosses her arms. "She wanted me to choose between all of you."

"So you picked out my name at random? Out of the cards?"

The Doctor looks at her. He could lie, he could, but instead of lying, he just… hides some part of the truth. Yes, Martha it was totally random. I had no intentions. A half-truth would have to do for now, before he could actually tell her and explain to her what had happened. He just hoped, Martha's memory would work to their advantage. He grabbed her by the hands, hoping it would make the explosion less deadly.

"I gave her your name." He says. Martha has no reaction and the Doctor continues, thinking that explaining it will make it better. "I only thought, either she can choose and kill you or I can choose and save you."

Martha slowly removed her hand from his, while the look on her face grew colder.

"So… You _gave_ her my name."

"I had too, Martha." Martha stands up and walks around her living room. "If I knew you had a child..."

"It didn't seem to matter at the time."

"I didn't know." The Doctor argues "I couldn't let her choose Rose… "

Martha chokes and lets out a nervous laugh.

"Of course. Always Rose."

" It's not like that." The Doctor argues.

"How is it then?" Martha asks revolted. "You gave my name, so some deranged Queen could fly across the galaxies and kill me. My name! Of all the people who were with you throughout time you had to give her _my_ name!"

"Martha..."

"Do you despise me that much?"

"What!? No! Never... Martha, I owe you my life. I owe you everything I am today."

"And yet, you choose me to die."

"No!" The Doctor argued. "I chose to save you. I'm here for you."

"You're here because you're guilty!" Martha exploded. "You stepped on the pudding and the best way to redeem yourself is to come and rescue me."

The Doctor puts his hands on his head, in desperation.

"It had to be you, Martha! Rose is in a parallel world; to get to her they would have to burn galaxies. I couldn't let her touch Donna, if she even hears my name she'll die."

"Jack can't die! Why not him?!"

"The new Queen wants to know where the Princess is. To know that she has to get to my weakness. My weak spot is life, yours, all of you! She can't hurt me with Jack, he can't die! The new Queen wants me to get desperate enough to give her the Princess's location; she wouldn't be able to hit my weak spot with Jack. He's immortal!" Martha looks at the Doctor reading his brand new big eyes. "It had to be you, because you're _Martha Jones."_

Martha looks at the Doctor, reading through the emotional speech and sweet kind words.

"There's something you're not telling me."

The Doctor sighs. Yes, there was something big he wasn't telling, but it would have to remain a secret for now.

"Martha, please. I've told you every single thing there is to tell you. This new Queen wants to get me, I'm what she needs to get to the Princess. In order to break me, she ordered me to choose…"

"And you chose me!"

"Martha, it had to be you. Your life does not endanger anyone else, your life does not…"

"Matter?!" Martha's voice cracks. The Doctor searches for patience in the deep corners of his persona and remains silent. He couldn't tell Martha that she was fundamental to save the Princess. He couldn't tell Martha that he picked her out of spite or any other reason, but because Martha was the solution to the problem. She just didn't know it yet. There was a plan behind this, a bigger picture, but he couldn't tell Martha just yet. Of course her life mattered. She was Martha flipping Jones, of course she mattered! "You… you had no right."

"It had to be you."

"Why me?!"

The Doctor grabs Martha's hand again. "We don't have too much time. She will find us. You have to come with me."

"I'm not going!"

"Martha, will you stop-

"My son… "Martha steps away "What will happen if she doesn't find me. What if she finds my mum, Tish, Leo… or James?"

"So you rather sit here and wait for her?"

Martha sat on her couch and sighed heavily, covering her face with her hands.

"Why did you do this?"

"It will all make sense." The Doctor says.

"I will not leave him!" She argues. "I'm sorry, but he's my son and I will not leave him. James already lost his father."

"I came here to take you with me."

Martha looks the Doctor straight in the eye.

"Mum?" Martha looks at the door and little James is standing right there. He comes close and grabs her hand gently. "You should go."

"Go to bed, James."

The Doctor crouches so he can look James in the eye and speak directly at him.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor."

"I know."

"Yes, you know, don't you?" The Doctor says. "You knew who I was before I started talking."

"Yes."

The Doctor looks at the little boy and touches his hand.

"Do I have your permission to take your mum away?" He asks gently. "I promise, I will bring her back."

"Doctor, please..." Martha cuts in, but is silenced by his hand.

"Well, James?"

"Yes." He answered. "I know you'll keep her safe, just like she did to you."

"Good lad." The Doctor says, touching one of his curls. "You look just like your father, do you know that?"

James shrugs it off.

"It's been said."

The Doctor laughs. He keeps staring at James, like he is some precious pearl he found by accident. The boy had a round face, big green livid eyes with long lashes, his lips were just like Martha's, not too full and his face was like Mickey's. The brown curls fell down his head, some of them over his eyes.

"What a gem you are."

"Okay, that's enough." Martha says, standing up, stepping between the Doctor and James. "I only have one question-"

"Your family will be safe, Martha. I give my word." The Doctor said, standing straight and looking her in the eyes. He gave her that "my word is my life" look. "I will do everything in my power to keep them safe. But, I need you to come with me. If you don't, I will knock you out and drag you inside the TARDIS."

"A bit aggressive, don't you think?" Martha said. "Is this something usual with this new you?"

"No. I'm desperate. " He answered in a cold manner. The Time Lord looked at the clock. "We don't have much time."

James looks at his mother, grabbing her warm hand. His face lightens up in a smile.

"You should trust him…" James looks at the Doctor with a big, bright smile." He's the Doctor."

Martha smiles back at her son, touching his hair. The Doctor felt a sense of dread in his hearts, once he thought how Martha would feel once she found out the truth about herself and her son. He came close to her, touching her arm.

"I promise you she won't get to him, but if we're going we have to go now, Martha. We have less than 30 minutes before she lands here. Your family will be alright. I promise you." Martha looked at him, recognizing those eyes she'd seen so many times. "I need your help to save the Princess. I need you."

"I can't believe I'm doing this again." Martha turns to her son and knelt "James, sweetie, go get dressed, while I call aunt Tish. Someway, somehow I have to tell her the Doctor is here and that I have to run. Again."


	5. Chapter 5

**Here you go. Things are getting weirder. ^^**

**Remember, reviews are loooove! **

* * *

**IT'S JUST LIKE RIDING A BIKE. **

Martha is looking for clothes to wear. She had no idea she'd be this nervous about the return of the Doctor, but she was. Seeing this new Doctor brought back anxiety, but at the same time a new level of excitement she couldn't control. Her heart was pumping and her stomach curled into itself. She would pick a pair of jeans, then desmissed them because they were old of used, she lost of count of the shirts, tops and blouses she tossed aside and, not even to mention the shoes! Ugh! It was a battle.

There is no way, she's running wearing nothing but booty shorts and a tank top! She needs to find something suitable, but not slutty, that allows herself to show her body. She picks a pair of jeans, but they are too tight on her waist. She finds a shirt, but it has a huge stain. Her hands are shaking, her heart is pounding and she is starting to feel a light headache.

Eventually, she decides to take the plain black jeans she wore a few days ago, a white shirt with no sleeves and a black leather jacket.

She hears the front door open, then close with a loud bang. Seconds later, she hears a loud gasp and voice saying "_Oh my God_!" Thank God she had given Tish a spare key in case of emergencies.

Right after that, Tish is running upstairs.

"_Martha! Martha!"_

"I'm here, Tish!"

Martha sits down on her bed trying to put on her boots, when Tish shows up at her bedroom door. She is wearing old jeans, a black sweatshirt and her hair is loose. Clearly, she had just gotten out of bed.

"I thought I'd never see that blue box again!" Tish managed to let out.

"Me too."

"What's happening?" Tish sits next to her sister waiting for an explanation. "Whys is he here?"

"It's complicated."

"It's always complicated with him." She states. Tish takes a long look at the door, still not believing her eyes. Then, looks at her sister. "Tell me!"

Martha looks at her sister and explains what happened. That the Doctor had said that her life was in danger, that he showed up to take her away from it. That he was different, with a new face, new eyes and new mannerisms. He didn't say "Brilliant" anymore and looked older. That this new Queen somehow hypnotized people with her words, they fell in love with what she said and would not believe that she had killed the entire royal family.

Tish listens quietly, but her face mirrors her true feelings. Her eyes were so open that, for a second, Martha imagines them popping out and rolling on the floor. When Martha shuts up, Tish gets up.

"He gave this new Queen your name? What, he wants you dead now!? You saved him."

"I know."

"Don't you find it _odd?"_

"I do. But… I believe him. I don't think he wants to hurt me, despite doing what he did." Martha said. Tish shared a confused look. "He may be a new Doctor, but I know when he is hiding something from me. And he is. I'm sure of it. The Doctor would never, _ever_, deliberately put me in danger, so he can come and save afterwards like a knight in shining armor. There's something else, he's not telling me."

"Why are you going?"

"Because… I want to know." Martha shrugged. "And I'm bloody curious."

"Martha, I don't think this is a good idea." Tish said. "I mean, look what happened the last time..."

"This is not like the last time, I know it."

"Oh my God. I hate this!" Tish blurted out, standing up.

"Tish?"

"This!" Tish said, pointing at her surroundings. She grabbed a pair of jeans, then a lost T-shirt and kicked a lonely shoe. "He comes out of nowhere and you become absent. You just vanish and the only thing in your mind is what he wants, where he's going, what he's doing and you forget..." Tish looked at her sister. "You forget all about yourself and who you are, to become his companion."

"Don't say that." Martha, whispered in a low voice. "It's not like that."

"Then what?" Tish asks. "Does he even know about Mickey?"

"Yes, he does." Martha answered. "He was quite saddened about it, actually."

"What did he expect, that you'd still all be here waiting for him not living your lives?"

"Okay." Martha stood up, facing her sister. "You're being too hard on him. Do not forget he helped you."

"No, you helped me. He was too busy being old and trapped in a cage." Tish spat out. "I don't hate him, but don't expect me to cheer."

"You were always wiser than me." Martha said, looking at her sister. She came closer and held her hand. "I do have to go. This is about the Princess, we need to find her. "Martha assures. Actually, she knows that her life is in the balance, but she prefers to think that this mission is about finding this Princess and eventually saving herself. "And we will."

"You are awfully calm about this, Martha." Tish says. Finally, she takes a look at her sister. That has been arranging her hair and clothes. "You're going. You. Are. Going!? After my mind blowing speech just now, you're still going?"

"I thought that was obvious. And it wasn't that good of a speech."

"You have a son now, Martha. You have James!"

"Please, don't use the "you're a mother" card. I'm already having a hard time here. I love James, but the Doctor needs me."

"Do you hear yourself? You're leaving your son for the Doctor!" Martha grunts and Tish continues. "You know I'm right, don't make that face."

"Tish, you're not helping. I'm not leaving James, he's staying with you and I will come back."

"Well, I'm sorry, that's how I feel." Said Tish. Martha looks at her sister and saw something in her eyes. Tish wasn't acting like a brat, she was scared for her sister. Tish knew the effect that "The year that never was" had on her sister, plus Mickey's death and she was afraid that this was a weird scape from reality. It was an escape, but a very dangerous one. "I'm scared for you."

"Thank you, but I'm still going." Tish shakes her head, not believing what she had heard. "I have too. The Doctor needs me. Trust him. I sure do."

"You just said he wasn't the same."

Martha wanted to believe he was, deep down, the same Doctor.

"He's the Doctor, no matter what face he has."

"Last time he needed you…"

"I know what happened last time, Tish!" Martha, let's go of her sister's hands and walks up to her closet. "There's a book saga about it, that does not allow me to forget."

"Fine, what am I doing here?"

James comes running in the bedroom. He's wearing jeans and a T-shirt, just in case something goes wrong. Martha picks him up and holds him in her arms, even though he is getting bigger and heavier she will always carry him as much as she can.

" I can't leave James alone, but I can't take him with me."

Tish tilts her head with a puzzled look on her face.

"Wait… Isn't the new Queen is coming here? To find _you?_" Asks Tish. "What happens if she doesn't find you, Martha?! Instead, she finds, _me?!_"

"Don't worry, there's the escape route and the safe house."

"What makes you think it will help me?"

"There's a UNIT phone there. It's for emergencies only" Martha said. "As soon as you're in the house, grab the phone, hit 1 and they will come guns blazing."

"You are... _Unbelievable_. Why can't I take James to my house?"

"No! This cannot spread. Stay here and it's best content. I want you to stay with James, if the Queen comes, please_, _don't let her get close to him. You go to the safe house, call UNIT and wait. For everything sacred, do not listen to a word she says. Don't let her speak."

"Fine."

"Tish... Don't listen to her..."

"What about me mum?" James asks, with those big green eyes always looking out.

"If she talks to you, cover your ears, yes?" Martha instructed. "You cannot listen to a word she says or she will hurt you. You don't want to get hurt, do you?" James shook his hair vehemently shaking his curls. "Good. Then, don't listen to her."

"I said, fine, Martha!" Tish's eyes grew bigger remembering something very important. "How about, mum?"

Martha sighs heavily. Damn Tish and her wits.

"The Doctor had her relocated."

"What?" Asked Tish. "What do you mean _relocated_?"

"You know in your house, you have all these technologies? Computer, cell phone, television and they all radiate their own energy. Well, the Doctor inverted that energy, converted them and channeled it to a transporter device he has in the TARDIS. So, basically he transported mum and her house in Scotland. She's going to wake up, look out the window and see a big open field in Nowhere, Scotland. And freak out about it."

"She's going to kill you."

"I know. If I'm not dead by then, she might." Martha says, putting James down for a while. "Dad's house is in Africa, somewhere in the desert and Leo's is going to wake up in New Zealand. The best part is, even if the new Queen finds them she won't be able to see them, because the energy convertor is part of the TARDIS and so…"

"Let me guess. There is some scientific craziness that I can't understand and somehow, they are hidden from the Queen's eyes. Right?"

Martha looks at her sister. Without a second thought, Martha rushes to hug Tish. Thank God for Tish.

"Why aren't we relocated?

"Because you're Tish. And I know you will keep him safe and do as you are told." Martha held her sister tighter "Promise me you won't let her take him."

"I won't." Tish hugs her sister tight. They grew so close after everything that had happened. Only now, Martha felt that they were true sisters. Martha looks at her son that sits on the bed very quietly. He was like a small version of Mickey, so accurate it was scary.

"Will you behave while I'm gone?" She asked. Although she tried, she couldn't speak to James as if he were a little boy. He looked at felt like an older person, an old soul in a young body..

"Yes."

"Best behavior?"

"The very best."

"I won't be out for long. It will be like two minutes for you." The moment Martha said it, she knew it wouldn't be two minutes. Who knows how long can it be? James hugs her tight. "Listen to everything aunt Tish says. She's in charge."

James nods and Martha smiles. She grabs his hand and all together they come downstairs.

* * *

Martha walks into her living room to find it absent of the Doctor's present. The TARDIS is still there, but there's no sight of the Doctor. " Doctor?"

The TARDIS door suddenly opens and out comes the Doctor. He's completely different now; he's wearing black trousers, pink shirt, brown suspenders, pink bowtie and a brown jacket. This Doctor has no beard, is no longer dirty and smells like soap and mint. His hair is all combed back and wet, though it is still a bit long.

"Who are you?" Tish asks.

"I'm coming out of the TARDIS, who do you think I am, Tish? Honestly!"

"So, this is your style now?" Martha asks, pointing at the Doctor. " Is that a bowtie?" The Doctor touches his brand new bowtie with a proud smile. " Looking good. I liked you better in the brown suit, though."

"Yes, well... You always liked me in a suit, didn't you?" The Doctor looks at Martha with a smile and winks. Martha does her best not to look ashamed. She did her best to not remember that, once her heart had beaten to the sound of the Doctor's words. Once she was madly in love with a mad man. "Come along, Dr. Jones, we've wasted too much time here. "He stops and looks at Martha." That actually sounds good. Amy wouldn't like that very much."

"Who?"

"Amy." He said with a sigh. "Amy Pond. Amelia Pond."

"Wait..." Martha said, looking confused. "Amelia? I know an Amelia Pond. She's..." Martha's eyes grew big. "When you said Amy and Rory...?"

The Doctor stepped forward and grabbed her hand tightly.

"You know them?"

"I work with Rory!" Martha exploded in excitement. "He's a Chief Nurse... He never mentioned you... Why didn't he?!"

"Because, there's a book saga about you." Tish answered, with her arms crossed over her chest. "Maybe, he just knew you might get a bit upset if he asked you, no?"

Martha bit her lip and, now that she thought about it, Rory always acted a bit strange around her. He would often make weird remarks whenever there was an off event, always looking at her, always trying to be witty... Now she knew why.

Coming out of her thoughts, Martha realized that the Doctor was talking really fast and didn't make any sense. In fact, he didn't even seem to take a pause for breath.

"What?" Martha asked, interrupting the Doctor's rambling. He looked at her alarmed, as if he had forgotten where he was. "What are you saying?"

"Never mind me. I'm talking out loud. I do that a lot now. Hello, James!"

"Hi." James says with a smile, coming out from behind his mother.

"Do you like me without a beard?" The Doctor asks touching his chin. James just smiles. "I was becoming very fond of it, actually." The Doctor looks James right in his eyes and stares for a while with grave attention. "Humm... James... "

"Yes?"

"Where did you find those amazing green eyes?"

"Mickey's side of the family." Martha answered for him, touching James's hair. "I guess his grandfather on his father's side had eyes just like these. It skipped a generation."

"No..." The Doctor said, approaching James and looking right at him, almost touching his nose in the child's nose. "Something's different here. I'm not saying it can't happen... eye color skipping generations is completely normal event in human genetics. It's a lottery, actually. However, emerald green... So vivid... So alive... I feel like I'm looking in a mirror. Young body, old soul." The Doctor stood up and looked at Martha. "Are you sure Mickey is the father?"

Martha raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Well, who else?"

"Couldn't I...?" The Doctor shrugged. "You know...? You fancied me back in the day..."

Martha looked at the Doctor without blinking.

"You do know how babies are made, yes?"

"Fair point." The Doctor turned his attention back to James, looking right at him. "You're a very smart boy, aren't you?"

"I like to learn."

"Best of your class?"

"The very best. "

"Yes..." The Doctor showed a soft smile. "You're like a mini-Doctor."

Martha rolled her eyes and pushed the Doctor away in a friendly way

"Stop it." Martha says. The Doctor makes a face, a weird face.

"You have a son, Martha. He is a very special boy."

"I'm aware."

"No, you don't understand." The Doctor lowered his voice and gave her an intense look. "He is very special, Martha."

"You're seeing things." Martha said. She turned around and kissed her son one more time. "I'll be back soon. Best behavior, James." Then she hugs her sister again. "Don't listen to the Queen. Nothing."

Martha waves goodbye one more time, then goes inside the TARDIS while the Doctor falls back for a few seconds. He gives Tish a cell phone.

"I'll send someone to help, don't worry. You're safe. I've got you."

"Do you, really?" Tish asks. "I haven't forgotten, you know? The Master and his plane. It's not fun being trapped and treated like a house maid..."

"I'm sorry. I truly am."

"Yes, well..." Tish sighed and showed a soft smile. "I'm not mad at you anymore. I'm here because of you, after all. Take care of my sister, Doctor."

"You know I will, Tish." The Doctor turns to James, bends over to look at his green eyes one more time. "Green eyed James, you're going to love this bit."

* * *

The Doctor leaves Tish and James with a small wave, then goes inside the TARDIS. He finds Martha standing a few feet away from the door, looking in awe at the brand new TARDIS.

"You redecorated."

"Yes."

"It looks a lot better actually."

The Doctor smiles at her, runs up the ramp and pushes the lever up. Martha holds on and could not help but laugh while hearing that typical TARDIS noise.

She remembered her first trip perfectly. It was so bumpy and crazy. She ended up meeting

Shakespeare and fighting witches, that weren't really witches, but aliens that got their power from words. Also remembered that, by then, she was in love with that crazy Doctor, but he was in love with Rose Tyler.

Martha Jones had all the reasons to hate Rose Tyler. Rose had been Mickey's girlfriend back in the day - ah! When Mickey told her, Martha was not amused at all. She asked herself:

_Am I destined to always end up with Rose's sloppy seconds?_

After all Rose was the first companion, Martha was second. Rose dated Mickey and Martha married him.

The moment the Doctor said her name, Martha knew there was something going on between the two. There was always something in his eyes when thinking of her or the way he suddenly ended a conversation when remembering Rose. Martha knew the Doctor had feelings for Rose and sometimes it felt like the Doctor forgot all about Martha. Yes, he recognized that Martha had the brains and the skills, but she always felt like second best. Until "the year that never was".

Martha could hate Rose, but she didn't. Martha met Rose once and she was really nice. No, she didn't hate her.

"Now what?" Martha asks. "Where are we going?"

"Well, when the Princess transported, the bracelet lets out a trace across time and space. It's very light, almost imperceptive, but the TARDIS can pick it up, I just have to… "

The Doctor presses a few buttons on the side and, just like that, the TARDIS shakes really hard, making Martha loose her balance and fall. The TARDIS shakes, shakes and shakes like a cocktail mixer. Martha tries to stand up, eventually realizing that the best thing to do is just sit down and hang on.

"Oh!" The Doctor says, looking at the monitor just above his head. He's also struggling to hold, but he has better practice than Martha."Oh!" He says again. "Oh!"

"What?"

"The Princess went far! Pretty far!"

"What does "far" mean?"

The TARDIS landed roughly as always. Both Martha and the Doctor fall to the ground and burst out laughing really hard. The Doctor helps Martha get up and then they hug.

"I missed this." Martha said while hugging the Doctor.

"I know you did."

Martha breaks up the hug, looking at the door.

"Where are we?"

"Let's find out. "

They both walk outside and the first thing they see, or better, _feel_ is the pouring cold rain.

"OH!" Martha screamed in shock when the cold water hit against her body. "IT'S POURING!"

It was pitch dark around, the ground was muddy due to the rain and it was freezing. The Doctor didn't mind the heavy rain, he was looking around trying to see anything.

"Oh come on!" The Doctor yelled over the rain. "Don't tell me that I got it wrong, _again!_ "

"Wrong? AGAIN!?"

"The trace is like dust, so soft and almost invisible. I might just…"

"What do you mean "again?"

"She needs to be tuned." He said, knocking on the TARDIS. "She's been through a lot."

"Oh, you have to be kidding me! You dragged me from earth to this soaking planet and we might be in the _wrong _place?!" The rain falls down like pebbles from the sky.

The ground is all mud and puddles. Looking around, now that her eyes were adjusting to the darkness, Martha can see some trees surrounding them. They aren't in the forest, they are in the middle of a road. Martha's eyes fix on something coming closer from far.

"Doctor!" Martha pulls him and points at the darkness in front of them. There, far away, two white dots are approaching. "Is that a car?"

The dots grow bigger and bigger. Martha is right, it is transportation, but it isn't a car. Well, looks like it, but it doesn't have any wheels, somehow it moves through the air. It floats.

It was black metallic, when it approached it turns slightly to the right, doors open so the Doctor and Martha can get in. The steps come down in order to help them in the task. A man with heavy red beard and long hair looks at them from the driving seat.

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"I'm Constantine. The Princess awaits your presence. Get in."


	6. Chapter 6

**Here it is. We know that Martha has a big part to play! Let's see what's ahead.**

**Remember, reviews are love. Thank you**

* * *

**VI**

**HONESTY HOUR**

The Doctor and Martha both sit in the back of this hovering car. The man in the driving seat pulls a big lever next to the steering wheel closing the door behind them. Outside the rain falls violently. Just the sound of it, it's like rocks were falling from the sky and not water.

They were both soaking wet, but unlike Martha, who didn't like cold rain that much, the Doctor wasn't even bothered. He has a purpose; the rain is a mere meaningless happening. The man driving the hover car, has is head covered by shadows and the only light is the headlights showing the path in front of them.

"Where are we?" Martha asks in a quiet whisper. The Doctor does not answer; he looks at the back of the driver's head. "Doctor?"

He raises one finger to Marta's lips, silencing her.

"Excuse me, but where are we?" The Doctor asks.

The man in front raises one hand, flicking a button above his head. The vehicle was instantly illuminated by this soft orange glow coming from above. The driver has long dark red hair coming down his shoulders. The front part of his hair was all braided and some strands of hair had small tokens attached to them. Martha easily recognized a small bird, a flower and, what appeared to be, an apple.

"Caleb 23, My Lord." The man answers.

Martha looks at the Doctor confused and asks. "Did he just call you "my lord"?

"Shush, Martha." The Doctor approaches the front seat. He places his elbows on the leather seat looking at the man's profile. "Caleb 23. I thought you lot were eradicated."

"Not at all, my Lord." The man says, gently turning the steering wheel to the left. "We are just very good at playing dead."

"The TARDIS didn't see you."

"No. But we saw you."

"If the Queen finds out you lot are alive."

"She won't. Not without us seeing her first." The man answers with confidence.

"How will you manage that?" The Doctor asks.

Constantine didn't answer at first, he kept looking at the dark road.

"The Colonel will explain everything to you."

The Doctor sits back, looking at the driver. The inside of the car was roomier than expected. It had leather seats, velvet floor and dark windows. The dashboard was full of flickering lights, buttons and had a big red lever which Constantine manoeuvered on occasion for speed. Martha looked out the window, hoping to see something, but besides the prickling rain there was only darkness. The only sight in front of them was the road ahead, illuminated by the car's front lights. There was no way of telling how fast they were going, in fact, the car moved in such gentle manner, that it looked as if they were not moving at all.

The Doctor takes a glimpse at Martha, who keeps looking out the window, and tries again with the driver.

"How is she?"

Constantine remains silent for a few minutes, managing the stirring wheel. Finally sighs and speaks.

"I don't know how she was the last time you saw her, my Lord, but her state has worsen."

"Days?" The Doctor asks. Of course. Time, in this little corner of the galaxy, went by a bit faster. One hour on earth, could be 3 days in Caleb 23. The Doctor scratched his long bushy hair. "What is "worse"?

"Is she being taken care of?"

"She has a maid with her." Constantine answer. "We are not familiar with Angyiolnight medicine, nor do we know the anatomy of their people. There's not much we can do."

The driver takes his eyes off the road and looks back at the Doctor.

"Can't you help?"

The Doctor does not give him an answer, instead he leans back in his seat. He is worried. If suddenly the Princess were to die, all of this would have been in vain and there would no stopping the Queen. If she was relentless now, even knowing the Princess was alive and is the true heir, imagine if there was no Princess. They needed to move very fast and make sure that Martha knew about it all.

"Can you tell me, where I am?" Martha asked, breaking the Doctor free from his thoughts.

"Caleb 23, didn't you hear the man?"

"Are we under arrest?"

"No."

"Then what is happening?" The Doctor loses himself in his thoughts not bothering to give Martha an honest answer, so the companion looks at the driver, she reaches forward and stares at his profile. "How did you know we were coming?"

"Satellites, my Lady." Said Constantine. "We are in constant vigilance."

The Doctor opens a window, opens a window and takes out his sonic screwdriver pointing at the sky. He then observed it quietly.

"Your satellites are down, Constantine. How did you we were coming?"

Constantine looks at the review mirror, his eyes meeting, Martha's then the Doctor's.

"The new Queen's arm stretches to a very long distance. When she attacked, she destroyed all our satellites but one."

"The one hiding in the dark side of your moon." The Doctor completed. "You have a Shadow satellite."

A Shadow Satellite is a technique used in UNIT in the protection of the Earth. They are placed in the dark side of the moon, usually are of an older technology, which makes it a lot harder to hack and ever harder to detected.

"We have." Constantine answers. Martha looks at the Doctor for answers, but instead he shrugs. "What can the new Queen do?" Martha asks. Constantine remains silent without adding nothing to the conversation for quite some time. "Everything around you was once green and beautiful. We were allies with Angyiolnight since they didn't have an army. In Angyiolnight everything is resolved through dialogue and communication, in Caleb 23 we live for war. The time for communication and dialogue is over, the galaxies are no longer safe with the Daleks surrounding us so, and we made an alliance: we would protect Angyiolnight, send our men to their planet and protect them, and they would give shelter and feed our own people. This agreement has been going for years… until she came along."

"The new Queen dissolved our agreement and demanded our full surrender, she wanted us to be her slaves. We said no. Hours later, we were surrounded by Daleks. As it turned out the new Queen made a deal with the Daleks, they would give her protection and she would allow them to use force whenever necessary… or not.

The came down on us with death. We only had time to retreat to our underground facilities and protect ourselves, while waiting to be over. When we came out of a shelter, everything we knew had turned to dust and ashes. Many were dead. So, we fight in the shadows, we allied with the Agyiolnithian Resistance and keep fighting as much as we can." The Driver looks at Martha "When the Doctor came, he told us about you and how you could help."

Suddenly the Doctor looks at Martha.

"Martha, you were right…"

"About what?"

"There is much more to tell you, but I can't quite share it with you. Not right now at least." Martha looks at the Doctor without saying a word. "Will you trust me?"

Martha sees in the Doctor's eyes, something that she hadn't seen in a while. Something big, something dangerous lays ahead and only the Doctor knew. She swallows hard trying to dissolve the knot in her throat, but she is worried. Her thoughts went to Tish and James. Silently she prays that they're safe and invisible.

Behind them the TARDIS is being pulled gently, it hovers inches above ground never minding the heavy rain. The landscape does not change from the time they're hovering, the rain keeps pouring around them and the darkness remains constant.

"We're here." Constantine announces.

Without realizing the car begins to come closer to the ground. In front of them rose a big castle, like the ones you would see in epic movies. With thick walls and four towers so high, one would feel vertigo just by looking at them. Separating the castle from the car, was a big iron gate with four guards in front.

Constantine slowed the car down, after one of the guards signaled him to do so. The man, dressed all in back with a modern gun strapped to his chest, approached the vehicle and knocked on the window. Constantine lowered the window down, never minding the rain.

"Is this them?" The man asks, looking at the two passengers in the back seat. Constantine nods. "Okay."

The guard signals the closest tower and the iron gates immediately open. The big iron doors move slowly inward, trembling with their own weight and shrieking due to the rust. The car floated easily into the premises of the castle. A spotlight, coming from the closest tower, is directly aimed at the car following every move. They were being closely watched.

As they approach the wooden doors open to receive them. They are so massive, that their opening makes a loud but low noise and it sends vibration all through the car. When the doors are open, light comes out and the car hovers in.

Martha looks around seeing men walking dressed in black, with serious faces and guns on their belts. A group of them jogged past the hovering car, without even taking a second look. Further away was another small group where the men were cleaning guns. Martha looks over her shoulder and sees a group of men pushing the doors close, leaving the cold rain outside.

Constantine pushed buttons and turns off lights, suddenly the hovering car is gently landing on the ground along with the TARDIS.

"Welcome to the castle." He presses a button and the doors open The Doctor comes out of the car with a jump and Martha does the same. Constantine joins them showing his true form: he is a very tall man, with broad shoulder and a strong chest. "I'm sorry, I cannot stay, but you must stay here the Colonel will want to see you."

"Thank you for your wonderful service, Constantine. Probably the best driver I've ever had." The Doctor touches Constantine's shoulder and he looks at the Doctor's hand with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor gently removes his hand. "Not used to touching other people then…"

"Quite, sir. We keep our touching at minimum."

"That's weird." Martha says. "How can you not touch anyone? Are you afraid of catching a virus or something?"

Constantine looks at Martha with attention. His eyes go from her head, to the top of her toes.

"It's far too complicated for a human. Specially a female one." He says with a monotone voice.

Martha raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms.

"Well, that's pretty funny coming from a ginger whose afraid of being touched!" They stare at each other fiercely.

"Martha, please…" The Doctor said. "Not everyone acts like humans do."

"Constantine!" A powerful voice echoes throw the stone atrium and immediately everyone is saluting, even the men that were just passing by. A tall man with no hair, but a head full of tattoos and a piercing right between the bridges of his nose, came towards them. Around the duo all men resembled statues mimicking the same position: right hand to the heart, a fist raised in the air and eyes on the floor. "At ease!"

As soon as the order came out, all of the men resumed their former positions.

"Constantine, your work is done." The man said. Constantine gave a short nod and disappeared into the crowd. "You must be the Doctor. I am the Colonel, but you can call me Shark."

"Hello, Shark." The Doctor said. "This is Martha Jones."

Colonel Shark looked at Martha Jones and nodded.

"It's a pleasure to have you join our fight."

"To do what, exactly?" Martha asks. "I know I'm part of this, but what is my role."

"The most important of them all." Shark says.

The Doctors stepped in front of the Colonel.

"Colonel Shark, please. Allow me to explain the situation to my companion in due time, for now I only wish to see the Princess."

Martha taps the Doctor's shoulder and, when he turned around, she said: "You can't keep me in the dark forever, you know!"

Martha is ready to talk back, but the Doctor cuts her off.

"Martha, we are on a schedule here. I will tell you, I promise you, but right now, I need to see the Princess." The Doctor approaches the Colonel is leaving Martha behind. "Colonel, can you take me to the Princess?" The Colonel makes his way back to the stairs, followed by the Doctor, Martha and the two armed men.

"I asked Constantine how she was doing, he told me she was worse."

"Yes." Colonel Shark said, as they approached an elevator. "Since her arrival the Princess health has declined severely. With her is a maid, who tries to keep the situation contained, but there's not much we can do. The worst part is, we have a way of helping…"

"What way?" Martha asked, standing next to the Doctor.

"A special plant that grows deep with the vales in our planet. It would definitely help, until we have a better solution." The elevator door opened up with a familiar "ding" and the Colonel, followed by Martha, The Doctor and the two armed guards, entered. "After the attack everything was burned to ash, so the chances of that same plant remaining intact on the outside, are low. But still, we have sent a team and we hope they find it."

"Good." The Doctor said. "How long have they been out."

"A week." The Colonel said. The Doctor's blood froze in his veins. "No communication so far."

As the elevator approached the assigned level, they fell in silence once more. As soon as they arrived, the guards came out, so did Martha, the Doctor and the Colonel. Martha held the Doctor's arm, delaying for a few seconds and inquired:

"What was wrong with her?"

"The Princess was a very frail health. She wasn't expected to live for much longer, but she has and it's practically a miracle. She's been surviving with the help of her Chemists, who keep the disease managed, but with the stress of the death of her parents all the running away only made her worse."

They arrived at a long corridor, where a woman waited for them.

"The maid will help you." The Colonel said. "I must return to my affairs. I want to discuss a plan of action as soon as possible, Doctor."

"Of course." The Doctor agreed. Without another word, the Colonel left with his men. The duo approached the woman waiting for them at the end of the hall. "I'm the Doctor, this is Martha Jones."

They nodded, then added. "I know. Come with me." The woman wears a long beige dress with a hood covering her head, but allowing her dark blue hair to fall down her right shoulder. Her eyes are the color purple and her lips are painted red, resembling a heart. Her skin was so white it almost resembled milk. "I'm Elga."

"How did you get here?" The Doctor asked, walking behind her.

"I followed her Majesty. You're not the only one with time travelling devices, Doctor." The woman stops in front of double doors and pushes them. The bedroom is warm and dark. It's decorated in warm colors like red and orange, in contrast with the coldness of the castle." Your Majesty…"

The maid approaches the big bed, where a young lady is lying. A heavy sigh echoes the room, while the maid whispers into the Princess's ear. Then, she looks at the Doctor and beckons him to come closer. The Time Lord approaches the bed, softly grabbing the Princess's hand.

Martha remains by the door, she can't see the Princess, but she felt that she needed to stay put.

"Hello, Buma." The Doctor says in a soft voice.

"Doctor. You came." Her voice was husky and low.

"Yes, I did. I promised you. I didn't come alone, though. I have Martha with me." The Doctor looks over his shoulder. "Come closer. "

Martha steps away from the door, coming closer to the bed. Staring at her was a young lady, no more than twenty years old, with baby blue curly hair, one green eye and one blue. She looked frail, pale and sick, but she was beautiful. Almost like an angel.

"Martha Jones." She said in a whisper, grabbing the human's hand.

"Hello."Martha said, holding her hand "Your Majesty…" The Princess smiles, the Doctor turns to Martha.

"You can call her Buma." The Doctor says with a smile. He then kisses the hand of the young Princess. "Come now, Buma, you must leave this bed. I'm here, so is Martha and now we can talk."

"Have you told her, yet?" The Princess wonders. The Doctor makes a funny face.

"Whatever he has to tell me, he hasn't told me yet." Martha cuts in. "He's been keeping something big for me and won't tell me what it is. Can you talk to him?"

The Doctor gives her an offended look. "Martha, no ones like a tattletale!"

"You lied to her?" The Princess asks in a faint voice. The Doctor kisses her hand once more.

"I didn't lie, Buma." The Doctor argues gently. "I just… well, didn't tell her everything."

The Princess looks at the Doctor.

"I only had one rule: no lies." Buma is not angry, when she talks to the Doctor, just shows a soft pale smile. "I'm done with lies. I don't like them."

"And I said, that your rule went against my personal rule: The Doctor always lies. "

Martha looks at the Doctor, then goes ahead and punches him in the arm. The Princess sighs again heavily, closing her eyes for a second. When she opens her eyes, they are blood shot red and her hands have gone cold.

The maid, comes to the other side of the bed and touches her forehead.

"The Princess needs her sleep." The nurse tucks Buma in. "Follow me, we've arranged for a room for you to stay for the night."

But before they leave, Buma grabs Martha's hand hard and looks her in the eye.

"With you lies the key to the safety of my people. Please, help us."

Not knowing exactly what to say, the young companion smiles and says: "I will."

* * *

Down the hall, the maid opens the doors to another room for the Doctor and Martha to stay for the night.

" I hope you don't mind sharing a bedroom."

"We've shared a bed." The Doctor says. Martha walks right into the room and sits on the bed, arms crossed in silence. "Okay, thank you Elga." The maid leaves the room quietly.

The Doctor claps his hands and walks to the window. "Oh look, we have a privileged view!" The Doctor put his hand out and it comes back wet. "It's still raining."

"Doctor…"

"Yes?"

Martha gently pads the bed.

"Come here." The Doctor looks confused. He steps away from the window, drying his hand on his pants. He seats down next to Martha and she looks at him. "James and I have this game, whenever I find out that he's done or broke something, I sit him down and say "Honesty hour" That means that, during that hour he has to come clean and answer truthfully when confronted. "

"I'm not a child."

"Some people need to be treated like children."

"I'm not even human."

"That makes you extra special then. You can't keep me in the dark forever. First you wanted to drag me out of my house, of my planet. Now that we're here, you wanted to see the Princess, we did that, already. We're sharing a bedroom now and you need to tell me why I'm here! Why do I have the feeling that there's something bigger here."

After a long pause, the Doctor finally comes clean:

"When I gave you name it wasn't as random. It was arranged." He explains. "I knew that the Queen was going to make that cards, move and I needed to get to you before she did."

"Why would she get me?"

"Because of something you know. Something that happened to you when you were back at UNIT."

Martha looks puzzled. She looks into the Doctor's eyes, trying to find answers.

"I don't…"

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't. I have no idea what you're talking about."

The Doctor leans forward. Sometimes, he just hated having to tell every single detail on a plan. Humans... Why aren't they more intuitive and have bigger brains and are... well, smarter?

"The Queen wants power. Absolute power of everything. The only way she can get that is through something that happens to be on our planet. To be more specific, at UNIT headquarters." Martha keeps a very puzzled look. "You know what I'm talking about!"

"Actually, no."

"What do you mean!? Martha, the meteor..." Martha keeps looking at the Doctor with a completely blank stare now. "It fell from the sky..."

"Well, that's where meteors come from. I really don't know..."

The Doctor cups Martha's head. His hands are worm and his fingers long, almost grasping her entire head.

"You really don't know..." He comes so close that Martha can easily smell the soap of his body. "There's a blank... "

"A blank?"

"Can you remember what you did the night the meteor fell?"

"Doctor..." Martha shakes off the Doctor's hands. "What meteor? What are you talking about?!"

The Doctor seats back, looking at Martha. This was going to be a lot more complicated that he had ever imagined. He gets up and starts pacing around the room. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Again, again and one more time. Till he stops mid pacing.

"What do you remember from your first year at UNIT?"

Martha thinks for a second and a smile shows on her face.

"Well… I was promoted. The General really liked my performance as a Dr. And he believed that I had a promising career... "The Doctor starts pacing again. "There was nothing special. I mean, we had our usual share of problems and aliens, but nothing as big as before."

Martha looks at the Doctor and he keeps pacing. "Well, there was some new investigation at Area 51 and I was there with the General... "

"No, not that! No one cares about that!" The Doctor said roughly. Noticing he had startled Martha, he took his seat again next to her companion. "What happened that year? To you."

"Mickey and I were dating for a while and he proposed to me. We got married in the spring." The Doctor looks at Martha's eyes. "The book! Ah! The first book of the saga "The Year That Never Was" came out..."

"No, no, no..."The Doctor said pointing at Martha. "You and Mickey got married that year. Why?"

Martha snorted.

"Because he loved me, Doctor."

"No, not that. I mean, he loved you, of course he did. " The Doctor said. "Why did you get married?"

Martha sighed heavily.

"I was pregnant. Mickey was a romantic idiot and he thought that the best for the baby was for us to get married and settle down." Martha shows a sweet smile remembering. "Such a romantic idiot..."

"How did you find out that you were pregnant? "

"Erm... A Dr. Told me. "

"A Dr.? "

"Yes. Funny story, actually. I woke up at the hospital and Mickey was there next to me with the

Dr. And he told us. " Martha shows a smile. The Doctor remains very serious. There is something in Martha's eyes, like she can't understand what had happened to her.

"Why were you in the hospital? "

"Oh! "Martha takes an extra second to think. "I was in an accident. An explosion... "She shakes her head very quickly and blinks very fast. "Sorry, I meant car accident. "

The Doctor slowly reaches for her head, pressing the palms of his hands to the sides of her face.

"Which was it? Explosion or car accident? "

Martha's head is all fog now. She remembered very well, being in a car going down the road and an animal passing right in front of her so fast, that her only instinct was to turn the wheel and by doing so she hit a tree. She remembered perfectly. The fire, the heat, people screaming and a clear voice saying that everything would be just fine. She remembered wearing her white coat, pushing a door a and touching something cold. After that it was just light and heat.

"Martha." The Doctor pushed her off her memories. His eyes were glowing. "That's not what happened. "

"What do you mean? "

"You were _never_ in a car accident. "The Doctor said. "Someone has stolen your memory. "


	7. Chapter 7

Here it is. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

* * *

**VII - TOUCH FROM THE PAST**

The brand new Smith-Jones residence was all darkness and so was the street. It was a quiet night, with a cold breeze which shook the trees and blew leaves all over the concrete. There were no stars in the sky or the moon, only dark clouds that foretold heavy rain in the next hours.

Mickey and Martha shared a bed together, as a normal a married couple. Even though it was cold, with the course of the night, each one had chosen a side to sleep on. Mickey was face down, with his head under the pillow and Martha was by his side, face up with her arm covering her face. The house was surrounded by silence. It was all silence and deep dreams.

It was exactly 03:00 am when the phone rang. Martha jumped out of the bed with fright, her heart pounding against her chest. She hated phone calls in the middle of the night, it always meant bad news. The black phone was right next to her and kept ringing.

Martha reached out a hand, grabbing the vibrating ringing device.

"Hello."

"_Dr. Jones_." The voice on the other side was clear and in command. It made Martha wake up like she had drunk a cup of the strongest coffee. _"This is the General. Sorry to wake you up, but you are needed at UNIT. "_

"I'll be there in 30 minutes, sir."

"_No need for that_." The General said. "_I'm right outside your door_."

The General hangs up the phone and Martha took an extra second to move. The General was outside her house! The General never, _ever,_ goes to someone's house. Especially not at 03:00 am in the morning. This wasn't good. This could not be good.

Martha tossed the sheets aside and jumped out of bed, waking up Mickey.

"Who… What are you doing?"

"The General." Martha turns on the light on the bed stand and started looking for her robe. "He's outside."

"Outside?" Mickey seats up, scratching his eyes and yawning. "What is he doing here?"

"I don't know, but it's serious." Martha said. "Just stay here."

"Why?" Martha found her robe and used it to cover herself. "You haven't told him yet?"

Mickey asked, not pleased. It was true, she hadn't. UNIT wasn't exactly place to find love, so the best way was to keep their romance in secret. Even the engagement. Mickey and Martha were married for months now, but their boss didn't know. Martha wondered what were the odds that the General and all the people at UNIT already knew. After all it was kind of hard to hide that big ring on her finger now. "Martha…"

"Mickey, it's not the time."

"We're married now and we work in the same place!" Mickey said. "Why are you hiding this?! It's kind of impossible, you know? You do have a ring with my name on it on your finger. " Martha walked out the door, running through the hall and down the stairs. "Martha! "

* * *

Martha opened the door and there he was, The General himself all suited up. The General was a man that demanded respect and it was impossible to not give it to him. With one look he could destroy you. No one dared to cross him or not obey his orders.

There he was, a tall man with a face and composure that reminded Martha of a bald eagle. His suit was dark green and on the left side, right over his heart, there a line of shiny medals.

Behind the General, was a black Humvee and two soldiers wearing typical UNIT uniform with red hats. They were out on the sidewalk patiently waiting.

Martha saluted and the General saluted back.

"General. "

The General did not wait to be invited in, he just passed by Martha and walked into her living room.

Martha waved at the soldiers and they acknowledge her, waving back. One of the perks of being the Dr. at UNIT is that Martha knew everyone and everyone knew her. From the soldiers to the higher categories.

Martha closed the door and followed to the living room, the General sat down on her white couch.

"Do you plan on going to UNIT wearing nothing but a robe?"

"Oh… right… no, no, sir." Martha walked away from the General, but stopped mid motion. "May I get you something-?"

"Not enough time, Martha. You have a helicopter to catch to Ireland. "

Martha did the best to disguise the sudden news. Ireland at 03:00 in the morning. It had to be important.

"I-Ireland, Sir?"

"Yes." The General said. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No!" Martha answered quickly. "No."

"So… Are you _waiting _for, a written invitation?"

"Of course!" Martha spat out, making the General raise an eyebrow. "I mean, of course _not, _sir. I was just caught off guard, Sir. I… Well… Excuse me, sir. "

Martha turned her back to the General, preparing to leave her living room, when he called her back:

"Martha…" The soldier turns around in time to see the General standing in front of a picture of herself and Mickey on their wedding day. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, Sir."

"May I ask why wasn't I told?"

"Erm…" Martha looked for an excuse. "I know you're not fond of office relationships that are non-other than professional, so…"

"Martha…" The General said, looking back towards her. "My first wife, was my secretary for years. I met her at the Academy. I hired her, then married her. An office affair is no stranger to me."

"Oh…" Martha let out. "I had no idea, Sir-"

"Then, she met a young official, divorced me and married him. I had no choice but to fire her and make sure she didn't work in any military facility anymore and have them both transferred to another county." He General completed in a dry tone. "I may not approve of office romance, but if it happens, it happens."

"Oh…" Martha said once more. She had no idea what to do with that information. There was a moment of awkward silence, where Martha had no idea what to say after that kind of information. "Erm… Sir…

"You better hurry up, Jones." He said, while sitting down on her couch. "I'm not in a very good mood today."

_When are you ever in a good mood?_

Martha rushed up the stairs, running into the bedroom again. Mickey was still right there, sitting on the bed, wide awake.

* * *

"Thank you for leaving while I'm talking, Martha. "

"You weren't saying anything relevant, Mickey. "

Martha goes into the bathroom and closes the door behind her.

"Wow, that's actually nice of you. Thank you for that. "

Seconds later, Martha comes out of the bathroom with her hair tight up, but wearing nothing more than bra and panties.

"You know what I mean. "

"No, actually I don't. I've just been wondering what is it with you, women, not saying that you're with me. Rose did that, now you're doing it. "

"I'm not, Rose, Mickey. Stop comparing us. "Martha opened her closed door, taking out a pair of old black jeans and a white blouse. Mickey had this annoying habit of comparing everything that happened between them, with his relationship with Rose. It made Martha angry, so very angry. "Besides, he already knows. "

"Of course he knows, he runs UNIT! I just found weird the fact that you didn't tell him! "

"Mickey, he knows already! " Martha said while buttoning her jeans.

"Doesn't it strike as odd, the fact that you didn't tell our boss that you're married to me? "

"Why are we fighting?! " Martha asked, confused, grabbing her blouse. "I love you. You love me. That is it. "

"Yeah, but you didn't tell him."

"He knows!" Martha said, after she had finished dressing. "He told me the story about his first wife and that was it." She comes close to Mickey, gives a peck on the lips. "I'm going to Ireland. Go back to bed. "

* * *

When Martha gets downstairs, the General was no longer in the living room, but the door was opened with a soldier waiting.

"He's very impatient. "The soldier said.

"Yes, yes he is." Martha left the house and the soldier closed the door behind them. The black Humvee was parked right in front; the soldier opened its doors welcoming Martha in. The General was already there with a black file on his hand, the car doors shuts behind them and seconds later they were on the move. "Why are we going to Ireland, sir? "

The General gave Martha the file.

"About two hours ago we received an emergency call from our UNIT base in Ireland. A meteor fell and the base sent a crew of six men to investigate the crashing, but things went wrong and five of the soldiers died. "The General didn't even look at Martha while talking. "We've already sent a team of scientists to test the meteor and try to figure it out where it came from. Your task is of a different kind, but also helpful." Martha opened the folder and turned the page finding a picture of a man. He was young, only 26 years old and was wearing a UNIT uniform. "His name is Steven Ross, he's a soldier at UNIT in Ireland, he was the sole survivor. Your task involves him. "

"What do I have to do? "

"He's been poisoned. Apparently he touched the meteor and that triggered the explosion in which the others were killed. The infection is spreading all over him; your task is to find out what it is so we can understand what we're dealing with."

"And salve the soldier, correct?"

The General didn't answer at first, he just looked forward. "Not a priority."

"But, Sir…"

"Martha, understand that this soldier is already dead. What we need if to know what attacked him, if it's dangerous or not, how we can fight it… all of those necessary information. The soldier is nothing but a vessel and he knew what he was getting into."

"But, Sir, my duty as a doctor…"

"Your duty as a doctor is overruled by your service to this organization." The General interrupted. "It is very simple, Martha. I want to know what we are dealing with before it is too late, if the soldier lives that is great, but, if he doesn't, I will not lose my sleep over one chess piece."

Martha swallowed hard and nodded. She went back to reading her the file and kept silent.

"I will not be accompanying you to the base, I do have urgent matters that keep me here. Sargent Donovan will greet you and show you to your team. Make sure you do your job well."

"Yes, sir. "

* * *

When Martha landed in Ireland, another Humvee was ready to take her to the Irish UNIT base. The trip to the base was short; when they arrived a group of people were waiting for the Humvee at the gates.

"Dr. Jones? " A young lady came into her presence all suited in a dark green military uniform and a red hat. "I'm Sargent Donovan. " They shook hands. " Do follow me. " Sargent Donovan leads the way inside the base. She had long blond hair together in one long braid falling down her back. The people around them were moving fast, clearly there was a crisis at hand. "Did the General inform you? "

"Yes. "

"Well, whatever he told you it was nothing compared to what we have here. " The Sargent turned left to double glass doors. When she got close to the doors whooshed open to a living room.

"This is your team. " The Sargent pointed to a team of four, two women and two men, dressed in white coats. "This is Dr. Clara Gyles. " A red head woman with blue eyes and a smile, smiled at

Martha. "Dr. Simon Omanpour. " A man with brown skin and dark hair bowed. "Dr. Suzette Dimaschio. "The woman with dark hair, dark eyes and tanned skin also smiled. "And Dr.

Michael O'Connell." The last man had dark skin and dark eyes, but did not smile. "Dr. Martha Smith-Jones will be in charge, she will lead you and will report all the information you find to me. Dr. O'Connell, if you could put Dr. Jones at speed of the events, I'll be back shortly."

Sargent Donovan left the premises, leaving Martha alone with her new team. Strangely enough for her, it felt like she was the new kid in class. Michael, who was sitting at a table passed the file to Martha.

"I think it's best if we see the patient. " He said, with a thick American accent. With no more information, the team of four left the room with Martha behind them.

This base wasn't what Martha had thought. The walls were made of glass, so everyone could see what was happening inside the rooms, there were a lot more people here than she expected and, there was the smell of freshly grind coffee in the air.

The team and Martha arrived at an improvised patient room.

"This was one of the officers." Dr. Omanpour said, we had to make it into a room in order to take care of the patient. "

The group stopped in front of these big glass walls. Inside, was another group of medics all wearing these big yellow rubber suits, surrounding a bed were lied a body. The The poor soldier was on the bed with his eyes closed, pale face and blue lips. His heartbeat and blood pressure was steady. Steven had a tube down his throat and wires connected to the side of his head, chest and arms. Martha noticed immediately why she was brought here. It was something she had never seen before. Steven's left arm was the one that got Martha's attention. It took her off balance.

"What happened to his arm? "

The soldier's left hand was black and his hand was clenched like a claw. The veins were swollen, thick and black; they looked like dead roots spreading all the way to his shoulder.

"Apparently he touched the meteor, when he did it there was an explosion of light. All the others were dead, he was the only one alive. "Clara said. "When he arrived, he was normal, but in a matter of minutes it went from normal to this. And it's spreading fast. "

The Dr. gave her a file with x-rays and ultrasounds, showing a massive dark shadow growing in his lungs.

"He started coughing blood, that's when we knew it had gotten inside." Said Simon. "We got a sample, but there's nothing in our records that can match this. Basically, we don't know what it is. "

"What have you been using so far? " Asked Martha looking at the arm from a distance.

"The only solution we had was to slow the infection down with strong antibiotics and steroids. It helped, it did slow down the spreading, but just for a couple of hours. "Simon moved to the other side of the wall checking the patient. "As soon as we administered the third dosage, the body rejected it and he seized."

"It's like the infection knew the steroid and fought back." Dr. Dimaschio confirmed. "It was like it was alive and fighting to stay inside of him."

"So, you are suggesting that it mutated ad adapted the steroid composition?" Martha asked.

"No. I'm not suggesting." Dr. Dimaschio said. "I'm _confirming_ that's what happened. It did the same with the antibiotics. We can try every single drug there is, but whatever it is inside of him will learn and fight it off."

"So, the usage of drugs is no longer an option." Martha said, looking at Steven. "He must be in a lot of pain."

"He is." Dr. O'Connell confirmed. "The best solution was to put him in an induced coma, but the levels of pain are beyond any chart. It's best if he is sleeping through the pain."

"Despite that, it continues spreading. " Said Dr. Dimaschio. "There's no stopping it, unless we find out what _it is_ exactly. "

"Okay…"Martha looked at the soldier's arm. "Well, we'll draw blood and a tissue sample from the area. "

"We did that already. " Dr. O'Connell gave her a short look to the file. "The results are there. Inconclusive. Whatever is in him, is not recognizable on earth. We're literally flying blind here. "

"Well, there has to be something we can do. "

"There's _nothing _we can do, Dr. Jones. "

Martha looked at the poor soldier whose infected arm was a big question mark. This was way out of her league, how in the world could the General think that Martha had the solution for this?

Well, she didn't, but she knew a person that might help.

"Do new exams. I'll be right back. "Said Martha leaving her new team behind.

"What?! " Dr. O'Connell followed Martha out of the room. "There's no point in doing that. The results will be same. "

"Just do it! " Martha yelled while walking down the hall. "It's not going to kill him, just do it! "

Dr. Smith Jones was on the look out for a quiet place to make a phone call. There were cameras everywhere, but she knew there was a place. Despite this UNIT base being insane at the moment, Martha knew how to become invisible. Nobody noticed her while walking down the halls, people were just too busy.

The base had long corridors and walls made of glass, which allowed a view from outside. So, Martha did see the Sargent in the laboratory next door with other men wearing white coats.

Martha slowed down, but kept walking, trying to look invisible. She was lucky that the party had their backs to the halls and were very concentrated in some footage on a monitor, or she would get caught and would have to answer some weird questions.

Eventually, Martha found a door, pushed it and entered a small dark room. After a while looking for the light switch, she found it and a light bulb illuminated the room. It was a small archive storage place filled with folders on top of folders, paper and more paper. Martha took out her phone and dialed a number that she already knew by heart. He was the only person who could help her right now.

It wasn't long till she heard a voice coming of the other side.

"_Well, if it isn't the nightingale singing me a midnight song._ " Said Jack Harkness. Even though Martha could not see his face, she could imagine Jack smiling while recognizing her number.

Jack was the man behind Torchwood. After the Doctor he was the best to work with in situations like this. Every now and then Martha and Jack would cooperate, either in a Torchwood mission or a UNIT one. Even though they were not supposed to, if caught Martha could find herself in serious problems with the General.

"Hello, Jack. "

"What is this?" Martha could hear Jack typing away on his keyboard. "Are you in Ireland? " He typed again. "UNIT base in Ireland. What happened? "

"Meteor. "

"_Oh_. " Martha heard Jack moving in his chair_. "Didn't hear anything about that. " _

"You are not exactly on UNIT's best friends list. "

"_I resent that. I'm a lovely guy. For you to be calling it has to be more than just a simple meteor. " _

"One of the soldiers touched it, an explosion happened killing five of his group and now his arm decomposing. Literally. "Jack became silent for a second. Martha waited patiently for an answer. "Any suggestions? "

"_You said that his arm was decomposing? "_

"Yes, his arm is all black and the poison is slowly moving to his heart. The General wants me to find out what this might be, Jack, but I have no idea what I'm looking for. Besides, I want to save the man. "Jack kept silent. "I ordered some new tests…"

"No, no…" Jack said. Martha hears him walking around in his office in Torchwood headquarters.

"_Whatever poisoned him will not show in the analysis. If it's not relatively human, it will not recognize. I have an idea of what it might be, I need to see it._ "

"Jack, you can't come here... "

" _I know. I know. It would be just hilarious to see the Sargent's face, though. Can you believe, she was once in love with me?_ "

"That smile can melt away butter, Jack. "

"_And she knew that! Hell, she knows it. Probably still dreams about me. I have that effect on women..._ "

"And men. "

"_True._ " Jack sighed heavily. "_Well, what I meant, was that you need to go there and show me the meteor. Get in, get closer, take a picture and sent it to me. I'll have the answer in very short minutes._ "

"You seem to forget that this is UNIT. That meteor is probably better kept than the Queen at this moment."

"_I know, but you want to solve this, right_?"

"Well, yes…"

"_You want to save the soldier, correct?!"_

"Yes, Jack. Obviously."

"_Well, then you're going to have to find a way to get closer to that meteor, take a pic, send it to me and I'll see what I can do_."

"How am I going to do that?! There's people everywhere! "

"_Find a way, Martha. You're a smart cookie!_ " Jack sat down again. _"Go, call me when you see it. "_

"What?! Jack! "

Jack hung up the phone and Martha was left with that beeping sound on her ear.

If she wanted to safe the poor soldier, Martha had to do what was asked of her. No matter the risk.

Martha walked out of the room, but instead of turning left, to go back to her patient room, she goes forward. If she wanted to save this poor soldier, she needed Jack to find out what it could be. So, she kept walking, looking at both sides, searching for a suspicious door or a heavily guarded hallway.

Martha was close to giving up, when the elevator doors opened and a group of four men came out talking very fast. Martha recognized some of the faces, they were scientist from UNIT headquarters back in London. They were top scientists, the kind that has won awards and Nobel prizes for science and investigation. Martha stopped and pretended to be talking on her phone, while they were passing.

"We need to talk with General. We're at a dead end with that thing. "One of them said.

"The truth is, we don't know what it is and it's impossible to crack it. " Said the one with dark hair.

"The meteor does not respond to any of our tests. It's a waste of time. I have a bad feeling about it." Said the shortest of the group

"Oh c'mon, O'Neil you're scientist you cannot go on instinct. " Said another with thick glasses.

"I have a great 6th sense, Joseph. "

"You're not a woman! "

"Do you even _know _what a woman looks like?!"

"Gentleman!" The one with dark hair raised his voice above the two arguing. "We have a serious case in our hands here and you two as busy bickering about the female role in your lives! Don't you understand the seriousness of what we are currently dealing with? If we cannot find what this meteor is, it's a problem. A serious one."

"We know that, Arthur." The one with thick glasses said. "We've used all the tricks up our sleeve."

"No, no we haven't." He said. "I spoke to one of the doctors and it said they were suspicious that it had a mind of its own."

"Meaning?" O'Neill asks.

"If it has a life of its own, it means it has a brain… it can communicate. What we need is to use an orthodox way."

They disappeared down the hall, even though they kept walking Martha could still hear their voices for a while. Martha walked to the elevator, the moment the doors closed it went down, without Martha touching its buttons. It was the type of elevator that always stays on one floor, in this case, it always came back to -3 floor.

Minutes later the elevator stopped, its doors slide open and Martha found herself in a dark and cold hallway. Martha took a deep breath and walked down the hall, to the white double doors. It was complete silence, not even a fly.

Martha reached for the double doors...

"Hold! " Martha freezes right in her tracks. On her left two soldiers held her at gun point. "Identification. "

Martha reached down to her pocket and took out the electronic card that was given to her by the General.

"Dr. Martha Smith-Jones. "

Martha gave the card to one of the soldiers. They were both tall, one had blue eyes and blond hair while the other had brown eyes and brown hair. The blond one took the card and read it very thoroughly. He signs to his partner and he lowers his gun.

"Restricted area, Dr. Smith-Jones. " The blond says. "You can't be here. "

"I need to get in. "Martha said, trying to appeal to his good side.

"Can't let you do that, Dr. " Said the soldier. "Like I said, restricted area. Level 5 clearance, in your card says "Collaborator" you can't even be out of your laboratory. "

Martha bites her lips. She's so close!

"You heard of the soldier, right? Steven... " The soldiers traded looks. " I need to see this meteor, it might save him. "

"Sorry, Dr. We can't. My partner will escort you to the elevator. " Said the blond one. The other soldier with brown eyes and brown hair, came close to Martha and grabbed her arm gently.

"Please, I can save him. "

"We do not have orders to let you in, Dr. " Said the soldier, gently pushing Martha down the hall.

"Five minutes! " She said while being dragged. "I swear, five minutes only! I just need to look at it! "

Martha manages to take away her arm and push the soldier. Immediately the blond one pulls out his gun and points at Martha.

"HOLD RIGHT THERE! HANDS ON YOUR HEAD! "

"WAIT! " Martha begged. "I only need five minutes. In and out. It might save Steven, if I don't get in my hands are tight and he will die. I saw the way you looked at each other when I mentioned him. You know him, don't you?" Neither of the soldiers responded. "Let me in. I swear. Five minutes."

"I cannot let you do that."

"Listen, if I don't go in, Steven will die and we will be left in the dark not knowing what that _thing _is. We could be sheltering a very dangerous enemy that we know nothing about and that we cannot fight. Things can get ugly." Martha took a step forward. "But, if you let me in, allow me five minutes in there so I can look at it, take a picture and send it to someone who knows, we might have a shot and we can save Steven."

Martha did not expect for it to happen, but it did. The soldier lowers his gun.

" Can you really? "

"Yes. "

He looks at his partner. They share a look full of meaning and understanding, which only people who have been together for a while can share.

"Mind the elevator. " The blond one said. The soldier that Martha pushed, runs to the elevator, he opens the door and stays there blocking it with his body. The other soldier grabbed Martha's arm and rushed her to the door. "I can't give you five. You have two minutes. In and out. " The soldier pushed the white doors and Martha was in.

* * *

The laboratory was disposed in a circular fashion. Monitors, keyboards, computers and other gadgets were surrounding what seemed to be a podium in the middle of the room.

Martha passed by the tables and came closer to the podium. There, was the most unbelievable thing she'd ever seen. When she heard meteor, Martha was expecting a piece of rock from outer space...not _this_.

It was a dark ball the size of a volleyball and it was gently floating above the podium. This meteor was dark with thin white lines all over it, but shiny Martha could see her twisted reflection on it. It was like a giant marble.

Martha felt this strange urge while looking at this ball. The ball was beautiful, it was dark and full of mystery. There was something about that darkness that was simply hypnotizing. It was like looking right at the depths of the abyss.

Martha took out her phone, ready to take a picture when she heard a voice.

_Touch me... _

It was no more than a whisper. So low it was almost imperceptible. She looked around hoping to see an intern hunching behind a desk.

_Touch me…_

Martha turned her head and her eyes landed on the meteor. It was gently rising from its position right in front of her eyes. Martha dropped her phone and walked back a few steps.

"Oh no." Martha said, she backed up against one of the desks, but managed to ignore the pain for the shock was much greater. "No."

The ball was now slowly turning its dark surface.

_Come closer._

For a moment Martha lost control of herself. It wasn't harmful or painful, but she knew she did not make the decision to reach out her hand towards the meteor. She felt calm, peaceful, but her mind was screaming in panic.

Martha's approached the meteor, then held out her hand reached to touch the surface.

_I just need a part of you. _

Her fingers grazed the top of the ball. It was cold and it vibrated slightly when Martha's fingertips touched it.

_Oh, you're human. I'm on Earth. I haven't been on Earth for a while now. _

The whisper was now a loud, clear voice inside her head. It was like someone was speaking right into her ear. A spark of panic goes through Martha. This wasn't good. Yet, she cannot let go of the ball.

_The other one wasn't strong enough, but you are. You're strong. _

Then an explosion of pain goes through Martha's arm and she could not let go. It was like her hand was glued to the surface of the meteor. The pain was so sharp, like someone was stabbing Martha's arm over and over again. She held on to the podium, breathing heavily, trying not to faint with all the pain.

Meanwhile, the meteor starts to change its colour. It went from dark, to fiery orange, spreading like paint on water. Martha's hand burned even more and that burning sensation went all the way up her left arm, exploding in her chest. The pain was so great, that she falls to her knees, gasping for air.

_So much strength in you. _

The voice was clear and perfect. Strong.

_What else can I see in you? _

The pain spreads from her chest to her head. It was so intense, that she couldn't even keep her eyes open. So much pain that it was hard to breath. It felt like someone was digging through her skull.

_Ah! Memories. I see a man. I see a box, blue one. I see a ring. _

Mickey's smile pierces through her head and Martha screamed so loudly that the soldiers came rushing through the door.

"What's happening?! " One of them screamed. As he saw Martha screaming on her knees, with sweat running down her forehead, he immediately ran to run her. "Help me! "

He helped Martha stand up, wraping his arm around her waist.

"Let go." The blonde one screamed, grabbing her hand.

"I… I Can't…" Martha blurted out. "It doesn't want me to."

The two soldiers grabbed Martha from behind, trying to lift her, but her hand would not let go of the ball. Another sting of pain was so powerful that Martha could only see white dots of pain and tears came to her eyes.

"Oh my God! " The blond one got up. "I'll go get help. "

The pain wasn't only in her head, it has gone all over her body now. Martha didn't know what hurt worse, if her head, her chest, her arm it was all pain. It was fire.

The blond soldier ran away from the laboratory as fast as he could, while Martha kept screaming in pain held by the other soldier.

The ball was inside her mind, opening every door of memory, going to every single event in Martha's life and it was painful.

_Martha Jones... _

The voice was clear and sharp.

_You're lucky. Very much so. I sense life within you. _

The pain in her head grew out of proportion. Martha screamed her lungs out.

_I will not kill you, child. No. I need to hide._

"Please." Martha begged. "Please, don't hurt me. Please, don't."

_No, no, child. I will not hurt you. Trust me, your suffering will end soon enough. You won't remember me either. You will never remember this day. _

_You will only remember the pain when you see me again. _

Just like that an explosion of light comes from the meteor, blinding Martha and the soldier. A buzzing sound comes to their ears, so loud and intense that it takes them off the ground making them fly across the room. As Martha lay on the floor, she saw the ball crack into several pieces as the light broke free of its insides. Like a white veil the light got out of the ball and came straight at her.

"No. No…. No…" The last thing she felt was the impact and then fire. She felt as if she were on fire. She saw nothing but white. However, as quickly as it started, it ended and it was nothing but darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

Hello.

Sorry for the delay, I've been trying to fight writer's block, but I haven't been very successful. Particularly, I don't think this was my greatest. I don't know...feeling very "meh" this week. However, I didn't want to keep you waiting, so I'm posting it anyway.

Thank you so much.

* * *

**VIII - LEVERAGE**

The Doctor was staring at the never ending rain. After the Daleks burnt down this planet to the ground, the atmosphere was now cleaning itself from the toxic smoke. This was the beauty about Caleb 23, it had a mind of its own and it repaired itself whenever needed. This rain would last for hours. The clouds were so full, that Caleb 23 wouldn't see the sun, Andro, for days. After that, everything would come back to normal, maybe the Doctor could show Martha the beautiful green sky and the deep purple seas.

That is, if Martha could remember. Right now the Doctor faced himself with a problem bigger than he ever thought. The meteor hid himself inside Martha's head. It was there, among other memories of Martha's first year at UNIT, but not as an original. If Martha ever tried to remember what happened that day, she would remember being in a car accident instead of an explosion so massive that killed the two soldiers that were with her, injured many others and barely destroyed the UNIT base in Ireland.

For past fifteen minutes they have been arguing about the fact that there was indeed a meteor. Martha didn't remember and did not believe the Doctor no matter how many facts he brought up. The meteor was well hidden.

"Are you going to stare at the rain forever? "

"Forever is a long time, Martha. "

"You know what I mean…"

"Yes, I do. "

What was going on here? The Doctor looked into Martha's mind, when he touched her head. The happening was there, he saw it. The General knocking at her door, the trip to Ireland, the soldier Steven with his arm decomposing away and the meteor. The meteor that had the shape of a giant marble. Black and attractive. An hypnotic abyss. But, Martha could not remember it. Instead, over that memory was a fake one.

The Doctor needed Gorka. He looked at his watch.

"Doctor, what is happening. I'm starting to feel worried."

_You should¸_ the Doctor thought to himself.

"Martha, do you have nightmares?"

Martha is caught off guard with this question. "Yes, at times."

"What are your nightmares like?"

"I usually dream of fire, but it doesn't look like fire. It's sort of a white light that hits me and burns."

"Every night?"

"Well… It was a recurring nightmare, but for the past month I have it every night."

The Doctor looks back into the dark night.

"Is it frightening?"

"Yes. Very." Martha says. "What does this have to do with my memory?"

"Everything." He answers, looking back at her, with his hands behind his back. "Your nightmares are not nightmares, is your memory leaking through the cracks."

The Doctor's mind works life fireworks trying to figure it out the meaning behind this. He needed an expert. He needed the Resistance, to be more specific, he needed Gorka. He was the only one who could answer all these questions.

The Doctor looks at the watch on his wrist. The Queen was probably on her way, if not there already.

"But, Doctor, I don't remember anything."

"Just because you don't remember it, doesn't mean it didn't happen."

"Okay…" Martha said, looking at her hands. "Let's say, it's real. What does that mean? Why am I here?"

"You're here because of what's in _there_." The Doctor said approaching Martha, then touching her temple with one finger. "This meteor is one of the oldest things in the Universe. No one knows exactly how it came to be, but the truth is, within it the source of all power. The ultimate power. It is as great, as it is dangerous."

"If it is so dangerous, why did it choose to hide in my mind?"

"Because it saw something good in you. It needed someone trustworthy." He Doctor explained. "This meteor has no address, it was a victim or creation of randomness and it knows that it's searched, wanted and desired. It knows that if it lands in the wrong place that can be destruction. Imagine if you are the most destructive thing in the Universe, wouldn't you hide yourself as well."

"I guess." Martha sayd. " But, Doctor, I don't understand my role in this. Why me?"

"Why not?" The Doctor answered back. "The meteor choose you. It hid inside your mind, it didn't kill you. It protected you. Not matter how beautiful it sounds, the truth is you have the key to find the meteor inside your mind and we need to get it."

"Why?"

"We need to get to it before the Queen does, or this could lead to war. Remember, she has the Daleks on her side, that's already bad enough…"

"Wait…One problem at a time." Martha got up, from her seat and walked up to the window. "How do you plan on getting the memory free?"

"Gorka will help."

"Who?"

"You'll meet him soon, but Martha do you understand what this means?" The Doctor asked, to which Martha said nothing. " You and this meteor are connected. There's a bond between the two of you, bond he created only with another living being…"

"The Queen." Martha completed. "That's why she wanted me?"

"She doesn't know. Or at least, she _didn't_ know." The Doctor said. "When I first saw the Princess and she explained her story to you, I met Gorka, her Guardian and Leader of the Resistance. He explained the meteor to me, although I already knew about it, even if as nothing but a myth.

He told me, that the last sighting of the meteor had been on Earth and that UNIT had captured, and that you had been there. You, Martha Jones.

That was about the same time, the Queen captured me. She knew I knew something, her spies had informed her that I was helping the Princess, so I was made a prisioner…"

"So, you choose me." She said. "You knew what I had and you came to save me."

"Yes." The Doctor said with a smile, feeling a sense of relief for finally reveling the secret. "I came and got you before she did and hurt you. You know where the meteor is, you are connected to it and she could hurt you to get that information, because in her eyes you are competition."

Martha looked at the Doctor. "Competition.?"

Outside, the rain kept pouring and, at a distance, the roaring of a thunder was easily identifiable.

"You could be all that stand between her eternal glory or immediate demise." The Doctor explained. "The Queen wasn't born with her hypnotizing gift, she got it. From the meteor. It fell once on her planet, and just like you, she touched it, but it didn't kill her. Just like you, the meteor gave her something and then disappeared. But, unlike you, the meteor did not connect to her, which means that her power is flawed and has an expiration date. The meteor gave her the power she has, now she wants the meteor in order to achieve full over everything she could possibly want."

Martha approached the Doctor, everything made sense now. She was here, because she was important - if not, the most important thing, in this operation, not because the Doctor betrayed her or sold her. She let out a sigh, sat on his lap and put her arms around his neck, in a tight hug.

"I thought you wanted me dead."

The Doctor hugged back, stroking her hair.

"Never." The Doctor said. "Never even crossed my mind, Martha Jones."

They remained like this, in a close and tight hug. Martha felt safe and calm in the Doctor's arms and he felt like he had his old Martha back.

"You know, going inside your mind might be a very painful experience."

Martha held him tighter.

"I'll do it"

Then, Martha recalled something the Doctor said a few seconds ago: "You said the meteor gave something to the Queen: her gift." She broke the hug and looked at the Doctor. "What did it give me?"

The Doctor looked at Martha in the eye. Of couse, this mains the main issue. How could he explain this aspect of the story to her, without making Martha loose her mind completely. He needed Gorka's help desperately or things could go from bad to worse quickly.

There was a gentle knock on the door, then a soldier's head popped out.

"Erm… Excuse me, sir. Gorka is here."

"I'll be there in a minute." The Doctor answered. The soldier closed the door quietly, while the Doctor returned his gaze to Martha. Gently pushes her off her lap and stands in front of her. Without saying a word, he walks away from her, towards the door.

"I'm going for a walk. Stay here. "

"Here? "

"Yes! " He starts to pace towards the door. "I'll be back, I swear."

* * *

Martha laid down in bed. The rain kept falling outside like rocks and it was still pitch dark. This dark weather was very depressing and after the discussion with the Doctor, Martha doubted herself. The truth was out: she was the key to finding the matter for she shared a direct connection to it. As she stared at the ceiling above her head, Martha tried to remember her recurrent dream, but her mind was blank. This was too confusing for her to deal with.

What if it was true? What if there was indeed a meteor crash, but Martha couldn't remember? Why couldn't she remember?

Martha closes her eyes and returns to her sitting position. She was tense and nervous, all of this was happening way too fast for her own sake. It was a big room, but there was nothing to do there, but look at the bare walls.

She looks outside from her bed. It was still dark, and it was still raining. If she wasn't accustomed to rain, this could have been really depressing. There was something about this rain that hypnotized her. She found herself just staring into the darkness, listening to the rain and feeling numb. Her body relaxed, she felt sleepy and tired. Slowly she began to tilt, before she knew it, she was lying down facing the window.

Her eyes closed and immediately she saw it:

She was being carried by someone and laid down in the grass. Her voice was gone, her heart beats strongly in her chest and she couldn't breath.

"Calm down." The shadow above her ordered. "You're going to faint if you don't calm down."

She grabbed his coat, closing a tight fist around it. There were a startling noise and Martha could see yellow/orange light around her. She looked to her left and saw a building on fire. Immediately, she began to hyperventilate even more.

"Hey!" The man grabbed her by the arms. He looked her straight into her eyes. "I need you to remain calm, okay. You've been in direct contact… So, I'm going to do something to help you."

He put one hand on Martha's forehead and everything went dark.

* * *

The door opens abruptly and Martha sits back, feeling a light pounding in her head. She must have fallen asleep without noticing it. Martha looks at the door, expecting to see the Doctor, but instead she finds…

"Constantine."

The driver walks into the room, with his red hair is burning like fire and his eyes so alive they could pierce through flesh and book and wink at Martha's soul. He had changed clothes in the mean time, while at first he wore an all back jumpsuit, now he wore black jeans and black t-shirt. His big strong arms, showed tatooes that went from his shoulder all the way to his knuckles.

"The Doctor wanted me to check on you." Said Constantine. His hands were behind his back, feet apart and correct posture. "You probably doze off. It's normal for you, humans, you're so sensitive to time changes that anything weakens you. " Martha snores, but does not answer. Instead she looks at the window again. The rain kept falling, like it did and like it would for a long time. "I know it's a bit depressing, but it will be over soon."

"I live in London, I'm used to bad weather. Where's the Doctor? " Constantine does not answer, instead his staring and judging every inch of Martha's face."You're staring. "

" I've never seen a skin colour like yours. "

Martha raises and eyebrow, but Constantine keeps looking at her like it was nothing. He was very curious.

"I've never seen hair like yours. " Martha said without a smile "There, we're even. Where's the Doctor?"

"Have I offended you? "

"You're not keeping score? " Constantine doesn't even blink, he just stands there looking "normal". "You keep saying_ human_ as if it was a bad thing and now you're talking about my skin colour. If this is your "not offending" I would love to see you being nice."

"I never said it was bad. It's indeed fascinating."

Martha was ready to talk back at the soldier, but this comment made her shut her mouth. And move on to another subject. "Why are you here? Where's the Doctor? "

"You know, you sound just like an infant, always asking for the same toy."

Martha and Constantine stare down at one another fiercely. Martha gets up, walking towards the window. She reaches out, to touch the rain…

"Don't! " Constantine is fast. He runs into Martha grabbing her hand, before the rain would touch her dark skin. "It's hot. Look. "Constantine reaches out for the rain, when it touches his hand it sizzles, like water falling into a frying pan. "Stage 3: Acid rain."

Martha lets out a gasp, but not because of the phenomenon - even though, it was very surprising - because Constantine's hand was all metal. Martha grabs his hand. Where once was fair skin, was now only the perfect imitation on human bones, but in metal. Shiny, beautiful and cold metal.

"You're a robot? "

"Cyborg, actually. " Said Constantine. "As you can see, I look human. "

"May I…? "

"Sure. " Martha thoroughly observes Constantine's hand, making sure it had every single bone. And it did. It was just like a human hand, instead it was made of metal. "This is… amazing. Why do you look like humans?"

"There's something about the human anatomy that fascinates our creators. The skeleton, if you wish, is the same as you humans. After we are switched on, we can choose whether we are a male, a female, neither or both. After that, it's all made by them." Constantine says. "But, you can change along the way. My hair used to be yellow and my eyes green. I changed it. The ability to choose your face or features is available, but not very likable, so keep our changes to a minimum."

"What happens when you get hurt?"

"Depending on the injury you can get new parts or we can get old parts from old cyborgs."

Martha kept analysing Constantine's hand. She moved up the wrist, firmly touching his skin. Now, she could feel the metal bridges beneath the skin.

"You look like us, but you despise us." Martha said, touching his shoulder. "How is that possible?"

"I don't hate humans, I just don't find you interesting. At all. You are weak, frail, you die easily… but, I believe it is your weakness that makes you appealing to other species."

"You think we are easily tamed?"

"I've never said that, but it doesn't mean it is not true." Constantine said. Martha lowered her hand and crossed both arms over her chest.

"Says the man whose planet is an army for another planet."

"It's different." Constantine fights back. "We are born to be soldiers. We are fighters. Warriors, if you will. You… are just _you._ And, don't even get me started on the _way _you are made…_"_

Constantine fakes a shudder going through his body. Martha turns her back at Constantine, taking her seat on the bed.

"What are you doing _here_? "

"The Doctor sent me here. He said that you might have questions. Didn't I tell you this when I first arrived? "

"Yes, but I want the Doctor and I'm still waiting for _him _to answer my questions."

"He sent me here for that reason."

Martha looked at Constantine. She crossed her legs on top of the bed. " If I ask them, will you be nicer or that's too much to ask? "

" I said _fascinating._ "

Constantine looks straight into Martha's eyes. She felt like a cold wind was rushing through her. Constantine looks around the room looking for a chair, he fins one and doubles back to it. He grabs the chair with one hand and placed it in front of Martha. He sits down, crosses his big tatooed arms over his chest and crosses his ankles.

"Do you know what's happening?"

"Yes." He answered.

"So you know, that I'm the only one who knows the location to the meteor, even though I don't remember it?"

"Yes, I do." He answered.

"The Doctor said, the meteor gave the Queen her gift of hypnotizing people with her words, but it didn't connect with her. It connected with me and gave me something. Do you know what that something is?" Constantine looked at her, but did not say a word in response. "Well?"

"I'm not allowed to give you that answer."

"Why not?"

Constantine looked away from Martha and actually yawned. "If you have questions about Caleb 23 I'll be happy to answer, but about the meteor and what it did to you, I cannot help." He said, once he had finished.

"Did to me?" Martha asked "What did it do to me?"

Constantine shrugged at Martha showing her, his best poker face. He didn't blink, he didn't swallow hard or sighed. He just looked back at her.

"I cannot tell you." He said calmly. "Do you have a question about Caleb 23 or not?"

Martha sat back on the bed. Clearly, she couldn't get anything from Constantine, the man was a soldier and if he had orders not to say something, he most probably wouldn't.

"So, you're… You're a cyborg, your planet has a treaty with Angyionlight to act as an army." Martha says. "Do you like being a soldier for another planet?"

Constantine's face turned into a grin, as he places his hands on the back of his neck.

"I never said I didn't like…"

"Well, I don't see you glorifyng it either. Other soldiers behave like soldiers, I've seen them. But you… you're a _driver_."

"So? What's your question?"

"Do you like to be a part of this treaty or not?"

Constantine looked at her without answering. In fact, it has been sitting on his gut this feeling. He didn't like to be submissive to another country, that doesn't even know the rules or doesn't even have a fighting chance on their own. He did not enjoy it, but it was one thing to know about it and another saying it… to a _human. _

"We don't do things here because on the basis of like, but on the basis of duty." He answered clearly. "It's my job. I'll do it."

"Wow." Martha said, nodding. "You'd find great in UNIT."

"UNIT doesn't have the ability it thinks it have. It's a joke." Constantine spat out, looking at the ceiling. "The Earth itself, it's a joke."

Martha jumped up from her seat.

"What are you doing here if you don't like me or my planet?" She snapped. "The next time the Doctor tells you to come and see me, say you don't want to. I bet he will take no offence whatsoever and I will appreciate your absence!"

Constantine opened his mouth to fire back, when the walkie talkie in his belt began to talk. He takes his walkie talkie out of the pocket. "Constantine, here."

"_Hey, the General is calling you." _A voice said. "_And bring her with you."_

Immediately, the walkie talkie was disconnected and Constantine put it back in his pocket. He got up from his seat, towering over Martha, and grabbed her by the arm with a firm grip.

"You're needed." He said in a lower tone of voice. Martha tried to get away, but Constantine had a strong hold on her arm.

* * *

Constantine and Martha walk into the elevator and the driver presses the button down. The cyborg kept a strong grip on Martha's arm, as if she would run away any second. The weird part is, Martha wasn't even fighting the grip, for she was more worried about what she'd find.

The doors open and they are in the tent area, right underneath the bridge that Martha crossed a few moments before. The soldiers didn't even look at the couple, they just kept walking and running, some cleaning guns, others putting them together and a group casually jogging. It was the first time that Martha realized that, even though the number of clearly male cyborgs overpowered the number of female ones, the large percentage of the cyborgs was impossible to define gender.

None of the soldiers look at her, they are mainly young men and don't seem to notice Martha's and Constantine's presence among them. Then Martha gets it, they are indeed cyborg soldiers, they are not humans and maybe don't even understand feelings. They were ready to fight at any time.

Martha sees the tent over Constantine's shoulder. It was the biggest one, all dark green and with two other guards in front. Constantine doesn't say a word, he just walks in and Martha follows.

The first thing she sees is a man sitting on a chair with a bag of ice on his head. He has long dark hair and dark eyes. This man is young, but right now he looks old, maybe it was the lights they were very dim and made shadows all around the tent.

"Martha. " The Doctor jumps out of nowhere, grabbing Martha's shoulders and forcing her to face him.

"Why am I being dragged here?" Martha said, getting free from Constantine's grip.

"Sometime's happened, Martha." The Doctor said. " I need you to remain calm."

This might be the new Doctor, but Martha could still recognize the look on his face. The look that something was wrong and something that wasn't supposed to happen just did. The same look he gave her when Harry Saxon and the Year That Never Was began.

Behind the Doctor, she sees a very large table in the middle of the tent with a map on top. Colonel Shark was at the head of the table, accompanied by two others who looked at Martha with a very serious look.

"What's going on?" Martha asks, annoyed.

"Roll clip." The Colonel says.

"Wait!" The Doctor yells out. He grabs Martha by the arm, pulling her aside. "I had no idea this could happen. I've only been informed of this now and it wasn't a possibility until it happened. You have to believe me."

Martha didn't say a word. Slowly she walked away from the Doctor and stood in front of the table, waiting for the video to appear. The screen shows the image of her living room, back at her house and immediately, her heart sank to the floor; The first thing she saw was Tish, sitting on her couch with a very distanced look. As if she was high on medication, flying somewhere above the stratosphere. Suddenly, Tish turns her attention to behind the camera, moving one seat to the side and patting the empty seat next to her.

A woman dressed in a long white dress sits next to Martha's sister, holding her hand. The woman looks at the camera and smiles even more. Her white hair fell down her shoulders almost reaching her waist, her grey eyes had a thick black line, making them more intense and her lips, were as red as ever, so were her nails.

"_Hello, Doctor. May I congratulate on your move? That was very good and I admit I had no idea of Martha's value. _

_"How does she know?" Martha asks, looking at the Doctor. The Doctor walks up to Martha, holding her arm, but says nothing. "You said, she didn't know."_

Tish on the Queens side was still smiling, but her eyes were blank, like she wasn't really there. "_Hi, Martha._" She said, waving.

"_That was a wonderful move, Doctor. Stealing my valuable assent from me, leaving me without way to find the meteor_. _But, did you really think I wouldn't be able to find a way? Did you think you were my only prisoner? Well, no. You can thank Gorka once you see him._ " The Queen said, with a kind smile.

_Yet, your upper hand will end shortly since I have the leverage now."_ The Queen put her arm around Tish, as if they were best friends._ "Tish is the sweetest human person I've ever met. She is amazing. However, beside her, I met another small jewel_"

The Queen looks behind the camera, beckoning someone to come closer. To Martha's shock, James comes into the frame and sits on the Queen's lap. The Queen gives James a kiss on his temple and smells his hair. "_I understand, Doctor. But you see, this is the part where you've realized your mistake. You will probably start to panic now, not knowing what to do or say to Martha, for I bet she's demanding answers. We may have parted, but seems like I ended up on the right side of the river_."

After that, her soft smile disappears and she has a cold gaze.

"_But, clearly this is only halfway, what we need is the combination of the two: Martha and her son. So, forget our latest game and let's start a very simple one: I want Martha Jones in my presence until the next full moon. If she is not, I will hurt…" _The Queen touches one of Tish's locks of hair, making her giggle. "_I must warn you that this is not bluffing, this is not an empty threat. You know me Doctor, I only play games I can win."_

* * *

The video ends there. Martha's heart sinks to the bottom of the planet and remains still.

"She has James and Tish. " She said in a whisper. "You said they would be safe, but she has them now."

" I know, I'll get them. I promise. " The Doctor grabs Martha's hand and squeezes two times.

"What did she mean?"

"I couldn't tell you before, Martha." The Doctor says "But now, I can. We have Gorka, now. He'll explain everything. He's the head of the Resistance, he was the one that told me that the Queen was going to make the card game and he unlocked the TARDIS. He will tell you everything, Martha. "

"Who is Gorka? " Asks Martha trying to see the bright side.

The man sitting on the chair raises his hand.

" I am. " He throws the ice bag away. "You want answers, well take a chair, Martha. I'm going to tell you a story. "


	9. Chapter 9

**Ayyy. New chapter. Hope you enjoy! :D **

**Remember, reviews are love. "I deserve to be loved" - 10 points if you know who said that! :D**

* * *

**IX **

**THE QUEEN'S SON**

James and Tish kept their eyes locked on the place where the TARDIS once stood. It was nothing there now, but were still swaying after blue box disappearance.

"I'm never getting used to this." Said Tish trying to wrap her head around the fact that a blue police box just dematerialized in front of her eyes.

James, on the other hand, was stunned. Yes, his father told him about the Doctor and the TARDIS, but one thing were stories and another were true facts. The fact that a box just vanished in front of his eyes, was just unbelievable.

"Do you think mum will let me go for a ride? " He asked with glowing eyes and a smile. Oh! The thrill it would be to fly to any place or any time. Just push a button and go from noisy London, to beautiful Venice or even touch the ground of a different planet, in another galaxy. Go back, go forth, cross dimensions…That was a dream! Mickey once told him, that he had lived in a parallel world for a while and that just blew James's mind.

Tish snorted and gave a funny glimpse at the young child. He was such a dreamer and adventurer, always dreamt of going further, flying higher or running faster. He was the best of Martha and Mickey.

" If it's a sunny day, your mother is in a good mood and you've been in your best behavior for at least six months, you might get lucky. "

James made a face. He had this face, when the odds were not in his favor. It was a mixture of a frown and a sad face. Very characteristic. One would think he would give up after that answer, after all, James didn't knew what "being in his best behavior" meant. Better yet, he knew, it just didn't suit him to do so.

"You can put a good word for me, aunt Tish. "

Tish bends over so she can look straight into James's green and vivid eyes. Tish was out of work for a while now, well…she wasn't exactly looking for a job. So, she spent her days with James.

"Remember what happened last time I put a good word for you, James? "

James said nothing. He knew perfectly what happened and he felt bad about till this day.

A long time ago, Mickey gave the boy a ball, so he could practice some kicks and tricks in the backyard. When Mickey was alive, James never had that much interest in the ball. He would kick it here and there with his father, but nothing more.

When Mickey died, a few days after the funeral, James found the ball in the backyard waiting to be used. So he did. Every day James would kick that ball and try to copy all the tricks he saw in football matches. Eventually, he became good at it and Martha put him in his school football team.

James was a master and became his team's top player. Even though they had a backyard, there was one thing that James always did and that his mother always said, no…_yelled _at him not to do, and that was to play ball in the house. Martha warned him more than one time, but James only went by one rule and one rule only: "When mum isn't around there aren't any rules." His father taught him that and he would never let it go.

One day, when mum wasn't around and aunt Tish had gone to the store to buy some snacks, James got the ball. He was in the hall, like he always was, kicking that white ball with green stripes. James had seen this awesome move by this one Italian player and he wanted to see if it could master, so it could be used in his next game. As always he started kicking the ball with his right foot. One, two, three, four kicks and so on…Without noticing it, James was already in his living room and he knew he shouldn't be there, one wrong kick and something could break.

It could and it would.

In a moment of pure bliss - that James could not, for his life, understand what it was or where it came from - he made the trick. It was simple. Just passing the ball with his right foot under the left leg, with a little jump lift the ball up and kick. The kick part wasn't supposed to be done, but James had a moment of bliss and he could actually see himself in the pitch. So, he passed the ball under his left leg, lifting it up with his foot and then kicked it.

He didn't kick hard, he truly didn't…but, the ball hit a chair, then it bounced and it hit the picture of his mum kissing his dad on their weeding day. The moment the ball hit the picture on the wall, it fell towards the ground and so did James's heart.

At the same time the picture shattered into million pieces on the floor, the front door opened. There was a moment of silence, which seemed like centuries for poor James.

When he looked at the living room door, first he saw Tish that looked back at him with an "you're screwed, kid" look, then Martha shows up next to her sister, takes a look at the broken picture then looks at her son.

_"Mum, I'm sorry…"_

_"You're grounded, James."_

_"Mum…"_

_"Go to your room."_

Martha went back to the kitchen, so she could organize the groceries that Tish had brought with her. James, being the smart cookie he was, he should have known that he got out easy. Mum did not scream, yell, or anything worse, she just grounded him.

Probably would give him the silent treatment for a while, but that the best of the worse scenario. Grounding James was the only solution, he may look like a kid, but his mind is far from it.

But instead, James begged aunt Tish to put in a good word for him. It was an accident! He didn't mean to break the picture. It was truly an accident!

So Tish did put a good word for him, but Martha was in a terrible mood and it all ended up in a fight between the two. Tish stormed out of the house, Martha never spoke of it again and James was grounded for the rest of the month. The sisters only talked again on James's birthday, three months later.

So, James just kept silent when Tish asked him if he remembered what had happened last time he asked for a favor.

The phone rang, so Tish rushed to answer it, while James remained in the living room. The little boy was ready to sit down and watch some TV - even though the sun would rise in a few hours and probably, there was nothing good on at this hour - when something outside called out his attention.

As he sat down in the sofa, he noticed that there was something moving outside. He got up and walked towards the window, looking closely to the dark street. He then realized, that there was something wrong with the leafs.

James always like the sight of leafs falling, it always remind him of his father. Every now and then Mickey would pick up James from school and take him to eat ice cream at the park. They would sit down on an old beach while James would say everything he did that day and Mickey would listen. What James reminded very vividly, that leafs would fall while he was talking and his father was smiling at him; it made a pretty picture with a golden frame.

Now these leafs weren't a good memory. They were a warning. James comes closer to the window and he felt nervous. These leafs were falling like rain and they usually don't. One may see maybe two or three flying around together or rolling on the ground, but these were _falling_. It was like, they had all come to a conclusion that it was time to fall and do it all together. Every single tree in the street was slowing becoming naked, showing their twisted, scary branches and just like that the sidewalk and the road were covered in a dark green and golden carpet.

"Aunt Tish…" James called, but aunt Tish couldn't talk at the time. James's grandmother, Francine, was on the other side of the line and Tish was doing her best to calm her mother's nerves.

It wasn't an easy task.

James opens the window, but feels no wind whatsoever; instead he feels a strange energy in the air. He can't see it, but he can feel it. It's like that split second before someone jumps to the abyss.

Then the lights in the street begin to flicker. It begins with the street lamp down the street, which flickers intensively. It was like someone was playing with the on/off switch. Then it stropped and the street lamp went dark.

Then the lights in the house next to the street lamp flicker. Seconds later, the house has no light.

"Aunt Tish! "

"_James, give 2 minutes!_ " Tish begs. "_Yes, mum James is here, I'm with him. No, she didn't. Why would she take him? " _

Meanwhile, the two houses next fade away as well. Slowly, every single street lamp goes off and the only thing visible at night light is the shape of the houses. Another, then another and then another, like a countdown to something dangerous.

The last street lamp is right across the street and it's the only one lite up. James's heart beats strong and fearful. He was right to be afraid. The street lamp flickers…

"AUNT TISH! "

"What?! " It all goes dark. No sound. No light. No nothing. Pure darkness. It was such a heavy silence that James could hear the blood flying in his veins and hear himself breathing. "JAMES! "

"Yes?! "

"Stay exactly where you are! " It wasn't long until aunt Tish wrapped her arms around his shoulder and kissed his hair. "It's okay. Everything will be okay. "

"I'm not afraid of the dark. "

"I am. " Said Tish breathing heavily, trying to call herself. "If you were ever trapped like I was, you'd be too. " Aunt Tish and grandma never talk about that year, even though it was all over the books. James grabbed his aunt's hand trying to call her down, when something takes his attention. Through the curtains he saw this small point of blue light, which reminded him of a little star up in the sky. "What is that? "

The small dot of light, tore itself in half and became a crack of light. The crack tore apart time and space and became a whole of electric blue light that illuminated the street.

From the time whole came out four men all wearing black clothes and black masks, they had their guns pointed and held them firmly. The soldiers adopted a combat position, two of them kneeling down in front and the other two on each side, securing a perimeter. The one in charge, had a yellow bandana around his left arm, said a few words into his hand and then four more came out taking position a few steps ahead and securing the perimeter.

Then a shape started to take form and a woman came out of the whole. She wore a long white dress, with big shoulder pads and a shiny crown on her head. Her lips were painted blood red, her grey eyes were highlighted by a black eyeliner and her long blond - almost white - hair was falling down her shoulders.

Behind them the electric blue whole disappeared and the lights in the street came back again, like nothing had happened. Except, their house was still emerged in darkness. The woman that came out of the time whole, pointed at the house and her lips moved.

"We should hide, now. " Said James. The two ran out of the living room. James darted up the stairs, but Tish went for the door. James gets to the top, but stops when realizing he was the only one going up. "What are you doing? "

"Locking the door. "

"Aunt Tish, they have guns! A simple lock won't stop them. "

Tish looks at her nephew and smiles. James was a smart child, he was, but sometimes he could a bit clueless.

"Oh James, you clearly don't know your parents. "

By the door there was a small black panel. James never knew what it was and every time he asked one of his parents they all said the same: "it's just a panel don't worry about it".

Now he was about to see what it truly was. Aunt Tish touches the top of the panel and it comes to life. It was a touch screen that showed buttons from 0-9 and a small screen. Tish then introduced the four numbers and the panel biped three times

Immediately around the house there's the sound of doors locking, but not an ordinary lock, it was like…

"What is that? " James wanders curious.

"Magnetized lock. It will take them a while to open any door or window in this house. "

Tish explained "Mickey installed it the day he found out your mother was pregnant and activated the day you were born. And because your parents are very paranoid - with good reason…"Tish kneels down by the door, pushes the carpet to the side and there was the small layout of a door. "They made an escape in case of emergency. "

James came down the stairs and stared at the trap door.

"How long that's been there? "

"Since you were born. Haven't you ever wondered why was this the only place in the house where the floor screeched? " Tish pushed the handle up and opens the trap door. As to confirm they're urgency in running away, a sudden knock on the front door is heard on the other side. "Go. Get in! "

Another knock on the door, this time a lot heavier. A male voice screamed on the other side.

"_It's locked, ma'am. Not a normal lock, it's the magnetic type._ "

It took a while for an answer to have a voice. A very silky feminine voice. As soft like a summer breeze.

"_Magnetic it's not impenetrable. Blow it up._ "

"_Yes, ma'am._ "

Tish looked at James with desperate eyes. Now the knocks were coming from all directions. Backdoor, front door and windows, they were planting explosives on each entry. James looked at the whole in the ground, completely dark, feeling suddenly a spike of indecision and, perhaps, fear. The knocks stop, everything went silent, then the male voice raises again.

"_Explosives in place, ma'am._ " Tish wouldn't wait a second more and pushed James down the whole, jumping after and closing the door over her head. Before the trap door closes.

The moment the door closed over their head, there was a loud sound that shook the entire house. If no one heard that loud noise, then the entire block had to be dead.

The door blows open and all they can hear is the never ending rhythm of stomping feat. Men marched inside the house, the footsteps echoed above them making them sound as infinite.

The soldiers covered every inch of the house and quickly the sound of things falling down hard, glass breaking and doors opening was all it could be heard. It sounded like they were tearing the house apart from its foundations. The search did not last long, after a while screams echoed all over the house, they all said the same thing: _Clear. _

Then it was nothing, but calm and slow steps coming into the house.

"_They're not far._ " Said a feminine voice. "_Search under every rock. I will not leave without them._ Especially, the little boy. "

James and Tish were hiding in the whole in complete silence, right under her feet. While the men marched through the house, with heavy feet, knocking everything down and looking everywhere, Tish and James kept silent. They didn't even dare to breath, with fear that the soldiers would hear their breath.

Tish looks around in the dark, Martha told her once that everything she could need to escape in case of danger, was right there. So, it would make sense to assume that nearby would be a flashlight. Tish assumed correctly. When she moved her head, Tish hit something metallic, when grabbing it, she recognized the shape, size and feeling of a metal flashlight. She grabbed it, but did not lit it up.

"Let's go. "

Tish leads the way. According to Martha, this whole had a pathway underground that let out of their property. Straight forward, not getting it wrong. The path had a low ceiling; it was dark, humid and cold. Above their heads where the pipelines from the house. Mickey had built the shelter underground first, and then proceeded to extend it creating a pathway. It was a way to keep their family safe in case of crisis, after all he was in UNIT and he knew the dangers that surrounded the planet.

Now Tish and James were practically crawling for safety as fast as they could.

"Where does this end? " Whispered James.

"Two houses down. " Tish replied.

The passage wasn't long, but it felt like they were crossing the desert. Once Tish was certain they weren't under the house, she lit the flashlight illuminating the way. The rest of the way, was muddy and even more claustrophobic.

Eventually, the pathway came to a stop. Tish pointed the flashlight up, showing that the ceiling above their head was different; no pipes, just a wooden trap door. Tish pushed the doors up, got out of the hole and pulled James next. This house was completely empty, without any small object to serve as decoration or even an indication that anyone lived there. This house was smaller, with no second floor and it felt old.

Tish closed the door quietly, then ran towards the front door locking it. James took a quick glance through the curtains and realized that he was, indeed, only two houses away. He could see the shadows moving in his house, they were still looking for him and his aunt.

"I think we'll be okay." Said Tish. "Now, look for a phone…"

"How could there be a phone? There's no one here."

"Martha said there was a phone here." Tish guaranteed. "Just look for one, okay? We have to call UNIT"

James and Tish were looking for a phone, but couldn't find any. After all, there wasn't any furniture, so if there was indeed a phone, it would be visible.

"Aunt Tish… "James started, but did not finish. Someone was knocking hard on the back door. Their hearts started to pound hard against their chests and not a single breath was taken. Another knock on the door. "I thought this was abandoned."

Another heavy knock and now someone was trying to force the lock.

"It is. No one ever lived here." The door opens and all they can see is the outline of a man. "Get behind me."

James gets behind his aunt, while the steps of the shadow man come closer. It's a man, a tall man, very strong with broad shoulders. His steps were heavy, he was a powerful man. He stops a few steps away from Tish, takes something from his pocket and points directly at them. The white light blinded them for a few seconds.

"Well, that was a lucky shot…" He said.

This man had a rough voice. Even though it was dark, Tish could still hear a tone of amusement when he spoke. The man turned the light to his face. Besides the fact that he looked freakishly pale, he had dark eyes and black hair. Tish thought, he was indeed a very interesting man. The thing that got James's attention was the yellow bandana around the man's arm, he was the one in charge of the soldiers…

"Who are you?" Tish asked. The man cocked his head, showed a small smile and sighed.

"You were right, they do ask a lot of questions."

"What?" Tish looks at the man with a confused look. He then points at his ear, showing an ear piece.

"Yep. I got them. The woman and the kid. Both here and safe."

"Who are you talking to? I demand an answer." Tish ordered. The man takes something of his ear and hands it to Tish. It was a listening device. Tish puts it in her ear… "Hello?"

"_TISH!_" The Doctor's voice rang in her ear, so loudly that Tish went deaf for a second

.

"I'm here, there's no need to scream!"

"_Sorry. There's a lot going on now, I can't control my excitement. Glad to hear you're okay. _ _How's James?_"

"He's fine." Tish answered. "How did you know where to find us?"

"_When I went back, I x-rayed Martha's house. I saw the pathway underneath, so I figured it out. _ _Martha was very smart to make that escape route._"

"It was Mickey's idea, actually. Why would you x- ray the house? Oh, and since when does a police box have an x-ray machine?"

"_Bly me, Tish. You're being hunted and the only thing you can do, is ask me questions? Do you want to live?_"

"Yes!"

"_Then stop with the questions. Seriously, what is it with the Jones family and questions?_" The Doctor sighed heavily. "_Put James on the speaker, he's part Mickey so probably won't ask as many questions as you or if he does, they will be interesting._"

Tish passed the listening device to James.

"Doctor?"

"_James! It's so good to hear from you! Did you enjoy my TARDIS?_"

"Yes. I want to fly with you."

The Doctor laughs on the other side.

"_One day, perhaps, if your mother is in a good mood. Now, see that man in front of you?_" James looks at the man with the yellow bandana and he smiles again. "His_ name is Gorka. He's with me, he's one of the good guys. Gorka can get you out of there, you have to listen to him and go very fast. Do you think you can do it?_"

"Yes." Guaranteed James. "I trust you."

"_Wise boy. Put Gorka on the intercom again, please. _"

"Doctor… Where's mum?"

"_She's sleeping._" The Doctor said in a calm and soft voice. "_Humans have to recharge every now and then, but she's fine, James. Don't worry, I'll take care of her for you. _"James smiled and handed the listening device to Gorka. He listened in silence, then clicked the device turning the blue light off.

"Alright, we have to move and do it fast." Tish was about to ask a question, but Gorka stopped her. "Questions are a waste of time. You'll see when we get there. The Queen is furious, she was tricked and she wants the upper hand, the faster we get out of here, the better. "Gorka turned around, but froze instantly.." When I came in… Did I close the door behind me?"~´

Actually, James noticed it too, but said nothing until now.

"No. "James said."You didn't."

In a split second the front door busted open with two men coming in, from the sides the windows imploded when other two jumped through. In a matter of seconds the three were surrounded by armed men.

Without any words, one grabbed James and put him over his shoulder, taking him outside the house. Tish was dragged outside of the house, but she fought hard and was carried on the shoulders. Gorka left on his own, even though he was a traitor, the men weren't allowed to touch him.

They were back at the Smith-Jones house, just as fast they got out of it. When they entered the living room, the Queen was sitting on the white sofa and going through the wedding album. The new Queen raised her grey eyes at them, then sat back.

"I'll get to you in a second." She said with a mellow voice at Tish and James. Then it changed, when speaking to Gorka. "You traitor." Gorka didn't even look offended. "How could you? After everything I've done for you… "

"You didn't do…"

"SILENCE!" She ordered. "You betrayed me. You helped him. You knew from the start that Martha Jones was exactly whom I needed to find the meteor. Yet, you gave her to the Doctor. How could you? You're my commander, you lead my soldiers..."

"I would do it again."

"I should kill you! I should have your head as my feet support and use your skin as my coat! It would be a pretty clear message to the Doctor... "She said. The Queen inhaled, then changed her tone. "But because I have eyes and ears everywhere, and I just happen to know where he is… I will send you, with two gifts." She offered a smile, but Gorka's blood froze. "You know what it is, don't you?" Gorka's face went pale, but he did not move. He was a soldier, would not break easily. Although, the thought of punishment made his pulse race. "Take him."

The soldiers came one step closer, but none of them dared to touch Gorka.

"They can't touch me, I'm still their commander."

"You are off duty. I now pronounce you a traitor to the crown and Angiolnyght. Your punishment will be Insertion." Gorka's eyes grew big in shock. The soldiers grabbed Gorka firmly, not allowing any maneuver. "Prepare him."

Gorka was pulled out of the room, but he stomped his feet.

"Don't." He begged. "Please, don't. Not this way."

"Why is he still talking?" The Queen asked in a cold voice.

"Alyanna!" Gorka screamed.

The Queen raised to her feet. Her face was red with rage and she was furious.

"You do not call me by my name, you traitor! Take him of my sight! NOW!"

One of the guards hit Gorka in the head and his body tumbled to the floor. Then Gorka's body was dragged out of the Queen's presence. The Queen took a few seconds to calm herself down, but did not sit. The Queen smoothed her white dress and, as if nothing had happened, then meet Tish's eyes analyzing every inch of her face. "Well, aren't you beautiful a pearl?" She said with a smile. "You are Tish, aren't you?"

"Yes." Tish said. The Queen smiled and Tish did the same back sighing heavily. James looked at her aunt, it was like she was in love. She was completely mesmerized. James, however, felt nothing. "You're beautiful."

The Queen showed a soft smile.

"You are the only pearl here, Tish." The Queen comes closer and grabbing Tish's hands. "I will take you with me and take care of you, just like a princess. You'll have a court, dresses, food, servants, everything…" The Queen's voice wasn't more than a sweet whisper. "The only thing you have to do, is to join me."

"No!" Said James.

The Queens eyes landed on him, like she hadn't seen him before. She came closer, so close that James could smell her sweet perfume and almost dive in her grey eyes.

"You must be James." She said. "Well, aren't you…"

"I'm not a pearl." He answered bravely. "We're not going with you."

"James!" Censured Tish. " She's a Queen, you have to go."

"It's okay, dear." The Queen showed a soft smile, but her eyes were evil. "James, sweetie, you will come, if you want to see your mummy again."

"You don't know where she is."

"Don't I?" The Queen taunted him. "I have eyes, ears and feet all over the place. I know everything. I know that the Doctor came here, took your mother and away to Caleb 23. That TARDIS of him leaves an awful trail. Little do they know, that their visit won't last long..." Said the Queen with an evil whisper, but a soft smile. "Things can happen, you know? I will do my best to make sure, they're not harmed, but... If anything happens, it was meant to be."

"I don't believe you..."

The Queen's smile fainted. That was not the reaction she was expecting, she was hoping an "Okay. I trust you.", instead came out "I don't believe you..." This conjugation of words was something she had never heard. The Queen stands up straight, head cocked when noticing that James did not have the same glowing eyes as Tish had at the moment.

The Queen reached so she could touch his hair, but James stepped back.

"What are you, little boy?" James stepped back once more. "You are different. My words have no effect on you. Why? You are young, but your eyes look old. Wise. "

"James has been always smart. " Said Tish under this weird hypnosis.

"No, sweet pearl, this is no smarts. This is something else." The Queen stepped forth towards James. "Don't you like me, child? Don't I look trustful and kind?" James felt something go up his spine and explode in his chest. Her words sounded like honey coming down a chocolate mountain. The Queens voice rang in his head like a song of perfect chords. He felt butterflies in his stomach and when he looked at the Queen, James felt like there was no way she would ever hurt them. "My smile, my voice and ways don't inspire you trust… "Yet, James, being the smart boy he was, shook off the feeling. The Queen saw him. "That! What have you done?"

"Nothing!

"You're not listening!" The Queen grabbed James by his arms, digging her nails on his flesh. "Why aren't you listening?! "James shook off the Queens long fingers with strong hands and darted for the front door, like a spear. " GET HIM!"

James ran out of the house, as fast as he could. He ran down the street, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see if he wasn't being followed. He yelled for help, but none came to his aid. He banged on doors, knocked on the windows, screamed at the top of his young lungs, but no one comes to help him.

As he turns around in the corner, a man grabs him and pins him to the ground. James screams his heart out, puts up a fight, but he couldn't avoid the needle was hit in the arm and sent him to unconsciousness.

* * *

When James regained consciousness, he could hear the Queen's voice in his ear, when he looked up, realized he was sitting on her lap. His vision was foggy, his hearing was as if he was under water and he couldn't keep his balance. The Queen had her hand around his waist, to steady him.

They were in front of what it seemed to be a recording device. It wasn't a camera as any of them knew, but it seemed as if it were recording the Queen's speech. In the far corner, sitting on a chair, guarded by soldiers, was Gorka. He had a rope tied around his arm, ice on his head and a blue button strapped to his chest. When the Queen was done talking, the soldiers removed the camera and Gorka was put on his feet.

"Now, you can go." Said the Queen. The soldiers placed a golden disc in Gorka's left pocket.

"I don't know where they are."

"Don't take me for a fool, Gorka. You did it once, you won't do it again. I know you were the one to tell the Doctor that Martha Jones was the necessary key in this. I know you betrayed me from the start! After all, the Resistance does need an insider, does it not?" Gorka doesn't say a word. The Queen's eyes are cold and her voice is sharp. "I should have you killed… I should have your head…"

"Like you did with the Queen, King and the Council?"

"I never killed them." The Queen reaffirmed. "They died peacefully in their sleep."

"Did they?" Tish asked, with a curious tone and with a glow in her eyes. "How sad…"

"Indeed, my pearl. Indeed." The Queen continued with a strong voice, looking at Gorka. "Go, deliver the message. If you survive, you are allowed to return… "One of the men, pushed the button on his chest and a ball of blue light involved his body and Gorka disappeared in thin air.

The Queen sighed heavily, but showed a very glorious smile, when turning to Tish. "Now, what's your favorite color?"

"Why?"

"I'm ordering you a proper dress, my dear. If you're going to stay with me, you'll have to dress accordingly. " Tish said that she loved light blue. Then the Queen turned her attention to James, who was still very drowsy. "And you, my love, I shall care for you, as if you were mine." She said kissing James on his temple. "You will be the Queen's son. My little James."


End file.
